Fox News Poll: Despite dip in approval, congressional Republicans still outperform Democrats

Congressional Republicans’ approval rating outperforms their Democratic counterparts for the second time this year, according to the latest Fox News national survey. 

Thirty-three percent of registered voters approve of the job Democrats in Congress are doing (66% disapprove), up 3 points from a near record-low 30% in March. 

While their Republican colleagues garner a higher 38% approval rating (61% disapproval), that’s down 5 points from a record-high 43% six months ago.

The decline in congressional Republican approval comes from within: 76% of self-identified GOPers approve, but that’s down from 88% in March.  And while congressional Democrats earn the approval from just 58% of self-identified Democrats, that’s up from 49% six months ago.

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The survey, released Friday, was completed before the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.

Among all figures and groups tested, the congressional parties rank at the bottom. By contrast, 49% approve of both Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and ICE, while 46% approve of President Donald Trump and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

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The survey also asks about a range of policy ideas. The most popular are providing a valid form of photo identification to vote (84% favor vs. 16% oppose), banning members of Congress from trading stocks (75% favor vs. 24% oppose), banning cellphones in K-12 classrooms (65% vs. 34%), and allowing U.S. citizens to vote by mail (63% vs. 36%).

Voters are split on banning the purchase of candy and soft drinks with SNAP funds or food stamps (50% favor vs. 49% oppose) and narrowly oppose ending diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in the federal government (46% favor vs. 52% oppose). There’s also significant opposition to allowing transgender students to use their bathroom of choice (34% favor vs. 64% oppose) and flag burning (31% say it should be legal vs. 67% illegal).

There is partisan consensus on several issues, with majorities of Democrats, Republicans, and independents favoring banning members of Congress from trading stocks, prohibiting cellphones in classrooms, thinking flag burning should be illegal, and requiring photo identification to vote.

“Contrary to the conventional wisdom, Republicans and Democrats agree on several consequential issues,” says Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who conducts Fox News surveys alongside Democrat Chris Anderson. “The data also show the president does not pick his fights as haphazardly as some suggest. There is a broad consensus in support of voter ID and opposition to flag burning and transgender bathrooms, issues that invoke patriotism or protecting our kids.”

Trump’s highest approval ratings are on his handling of border security (57% approve), followed by crime and public safety (50%), and immigration (47%). Fewer approve on Ukraine (40%), the economy (39%), Russia (36%), tariffs (36%), and cost of living (32%).

Overall, 46% approve of the job Trump is doing as president while 54% disapprove – unchanged since June.

Although voters say flag burning should be illegal by a wide 36-point margin, the number saying it should be legal (31%) is up 10 points from 20 years ago. That comes mostly from increases among Democrats (+17 points), voters under age 30 (+11), and independents (+10), as well as a small bump among Republicans (+5).

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Conducted Sept. 6-9, 2025, under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 1,004 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (119) and cellphones (638) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (247). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling error, question wording and order can influence results. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics of respondents are representative of the registered voter population. Sources for developing weight targets include the American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis and voter file data.