News

For immediate release

July 6, 2026

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At a seminal moment in the country’s history, voters across the political spectrum express frustration with the state of the economy but remain hopeful for a more united country that prioritizes the common good over short-term partisan wins

Washington, D.C. – Today, Center Forward released the fifth installment of the Voter Research Journals, chronicling a year-and-a-half-long journey of 36 general election voters from across the political spectrum in battleground states nationwide. Conducted in bipartisan collaboration with Breakthrough Campaigns and GS Strategy Group, this study is the fifth iteration of a research project that has tracked the political views of the same voters, beginning in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election, continuing through 2025, and now heading into the 2026 midterm elections.

“There are thousands of polls that quantify how voters identify politically or rank issues in order of importance, but that is not what we were looking to learn. The goal of these Voter Research Journals is to gain a deeper understanding of voters’ lived experiences, attitudes, and motivations. For the past 18 months, we have heard from voters, in their own words, about how they view the political climate, and the results are both illuminating and powerful,” said Cori Kramer, CEO of Center Forward.

While voters across the political spectrum expressed growing disappointment and frustration with the state of the country, particularly in how the economy is being handled, many still believe the American project has more to offer and that the country must find common ground to move forward.

Key findings include:

• Frustration with today’s politics makes it harder to celebrate the history that got us here, with some voters’ pride in the anniversary dulled by a broader pessimism about today’s political climate.
• What frustrates voters in 2026 echoes what frustrated the Founding Fathers in 1776: government overreach, excessive taxation, an unchecked executive, and threats to individual rights.
• Voters across the political spectrum are neither happy with nor proud of the current state of the country and are alarmed by the ongoing affordability crisis.
• Voters believe that in the country’s history, gains in equality and power have come at the loss of community unity and institutional trust.
• Trump voters said they were “disappointed” and “frustrated” with President Trump’s handling of the economy, and voters across the political spectrum are neither happy nor proud of the current state of the country and are alarmed by the ongoing affordability crisis.
• As the nation grapples with other domestic and foreign policy issues, immigration’s salience has diminished.
• Frustration continues to grow as the perceived neglect of core domestic priorities, particularly the economy and affordability, reinforces broader negativity among voters across the political spectrum.
• Voters are frustrated by government overreach, taxes, concentrated executive power, and perceived threats to individual rights.
• Voters view state governments more favorably than the federal government and believe states offer a more viable arena for building unity than Congress.
• While voters see some redeeming qualities in the executive branch and the courts, Congress is broadly viewed as weak and ineffective, signaling a demand for stronger leadership heading into the midterms.
• Looking ahead, voters want a more engaged and united country that prioritizes the common good over short-term partisan victories.
• If 2026 has left voters wanting more, they continue to believe the American project has more to offer. There is a strong sense that achieving that future will require finding common ground and moving beyond an era of deep division—and that effort may be best advanced at the state level.

Read the full results of the latest Voter Research Journals here.

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Center Forward brings together members of Congress, not-for-profits, academic experts, trade associations, corporations, and unions to put aside the partisan bickering that has gridlocked Washington and find common ground. Center Forward gives centrist allies the information they need to craft common-sense solutions to the serious issues facing the country and provides them with the support they need to turn those ideas into results. 

Survey Methodology: Breakthrough Campaigns and GS Strategy Group conducted qualitative journals between April 16-21, 2026. Interviews were conducted with 36 voters who did not vote in primaries but did vote in the 2024 general election. This study is the fifth iteration in a larger qualitative longitudinal research project, which has tracked the political views of the same voters, starting in the lead up to the 2024 presidential election. All 36 of these voters have participated in prior iterations of the project. Voters who indicated that they were undecided about their vote choice leading up to the 2024 elections are labeled as “unknown” in this report.

To learn more about Center Forward, visit www.center-forward.org or click here to follow us on Twitter and Facebook.