Over 50 Percent of Americans Fear Midterm Elections Could Result in Divided Government, Gridlock: Poll

A growing number of Americans are worried that the midterm elections will result in a divided government and split control of Congress after November, according to a new poll.

An Axios-Ipsos poll published on Oct. 1 found that 53 percent of Americans are concerned that the elections may result in a divided government, where one party controls the Senate and one controls the House of Representatives, as defined by Axios-Ipsos.

That concern is higher among Democrats, with 64 percent stating that they are more worried about this outcome compared to 51 percent of Republicans and 44 percent of Independents, according to the poll.

Elsewhere, concerns about either party having total control of Congress are relatively even, according to the poll, which found that 49 percent said they are at least somewhat worried that the Democrats will maintain control of both the Senate and House of Representatives after the midterm elections, while 46 percent are concerned Republicans will take control of both chambers.

The poll was conducted between Sept. 23–26 among 1,008 adults aged 18 and over from the continental United States, Alaska, and Hawaii. It includes 356 Republicans, 449 Democrats, and 126 Independents and has a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points for all respondents.

According to the poll, 25 percent of respondents who are concerned that Republicans will win control of both chambers said they fear that the economy or inflation will worsen if that were to happen.

Meanwhile, among those who fear that the Democrats will keep control of the Senate and the House of Representatives, 43 percent said they are concerned the economy or inflation will get worse.

Soaring Inflation, Border Crisis

The latest poll comes less than six weeks before the 2022 midterm elections and at a time when inflation has soared across the country, crippling American households who have lost the equivalent of $4,200 in annual income since President Joe Biden took office, according to data compiled by The

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