WASHINGTON (TNND) — With one month until the midterms, New York Times/Siena polls show Democrats leading or tied in five Senate races in Republican-leaning states, potentially expanding their paths to regain Senate control.
Democrats lead by 6 points in Texas, 7 points in Alaska and 3 points in Ohio. Republicans lead Iowa by 1 point, and Kansas is tied. The Ohio, Iowa and Kansas results are within their polls’ margins of error.
Democrats need a net gain of four Senate seats to take control while defending their current seats in key battlegrounds.
Across the five states, 49% of voters said they want a candidate who would check President Donald Trump, compared with 27% who preferred a candidate who supports him. Trump’s approval ranged from 38% to 41%, while disapproval ranged from 55% to 60%.
The polls found cost of living and the economy were voters’ top issues. Democrats held a 24-point advantage among independents and were more trusted on cost of living; Republicans had a 3-point edge on immigration.
The surveys were conducted Sept. 21-Oct. 1 among 2,946 likely voters, with state-level margins of error ranging from 4.5 to 5.1 points.