The October poll from the Saint Anselm College Survey Center (SACSC) at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics (NHIOP) finds Democrats leading the generic congressional ballot 52%-43%, as economic concerns and President Donald Trump’s unpopularity shape the political environment ahead of the elections. Only 38% of respondents approve of Trump’s job performance, while 62% disapprove. Economy and inflation rank as voters’ top concerns at 19%, followed by elections and democracy at 18% and affordability at 17%. Democratic voters also report greater enthusiasm for voting, with 98% saying they are extremely likely to vote, compared with 92% of Republicans.
In the U.S. Senate race, Democrat Chris Pappas leads former Senator John E. Sununu 50%-43%, although both have net-negative favorability ratings. Pappas is viewed favorably by 41% of respondents and unfavorably by 56%, while Sununu’s ratings stand at 40% favorable and 56% unfavorable, reflecting the broader challenges facing both candidates.
In the more competitive 1st Congressional District, Democrat Stefany Shaheen trails the generic Democratic ballot benchmark but leads Republican Anthony DiLorenzo by 4 points (46%-42%). As in the Senate race, both candidates have net-negative favorability, though the political environment favors the Democrat. In the more Democratic-leaning 2nd Congressional District, Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander faces limited negative campaigning and maintains a favorable image along with a 16-point lead, 54%-38%. She is one of only two major-office candidates with a net-positive image (49%-42%), while Republican Lily Tang Williams is slightly net-negative (35%-37%).
Governor Kelly Ayotte leads Cinde Warmington 50%-42%, with 51% approving of Ayotte’s job performance. The property tax cap referendum receives 57% support, short of the 60% threshold required for passage in individual localities.
In the potential 2028 presidential primaries, Pete Buttigieg leads the Democratic field with 28%, followed by Jon Ossoff at 14%. On the Republican side, Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are tied at 38%.
New Hampshire Institute of Politics Executive Director Neil Levesque summarized the results: “The upcoming election is taking shape in a political environment where inflation and affordability remain central concerns, presenting challenges for the party in power. Public views of many candidates for top offices are mixed, while Democratic voters appear somewhat more energized, in part reflecting their views of President Donald Trump and his administration. These dynamics, alongside ongoing economic concerns, are likely to shape the electoral landscape.”
These results are from a Saint Anselm College Survey Center poll based on online surveys of 1672 New Hampshire likely voters. Surveys were collected between October 19th and 20th, 2026, from cell phone users randomly drawn from a sample of registered voters reflecting the demographic and partisan characteristics of the voting population.
Names were presented in random order for the favorability and ballot tests. The survey has an overall margin of sampling error of +/- 2.4% with a confidence interval of 95%. The questions pertaining to the 1st and 2nd Congressional Districts have a margin of error of 3.3% and 3.4% respectively.
The Presidential Primary ballot tests for the Democratic and Republican parties have a margin of error of 3.5% and 3.6% respectively. The data are weighted for party registration, age, gender, geography, and education based on a voter demographic model derived from historical voting patterns.
Founded in 2001, the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College provides a nonpartisan forum for discussion and debate. It seeks to develop programming, and to foster scholarship and dialogue, encompassing a diverse range of political topics, opinions and issues. The Institute serves as a resource for students, scholars, politicians, and the general public.