A majority of American voters believe the country is heading in the wrong direction, according to new survey data released by Rasmussen Reports, which also shows a decline in economic confidence compared to recent months.
The national survey found that 39% of likely U.S. voters say the country is on the right track, while 55% believe it is headed in the wrong direction. That marks a slight shift from the same time last year, when 43% viewed the country as moving in the right direction, and 51% said it was on the wrong track.
The findings are based on a Rasmussen Reports survey of 1,776 likely voters conducted April 5–9, 2026, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.
Economic confidence drops
Separate polling from Rasmussen also points to weakening sentiment about the economy. The firm’s Economic Index fell to 100.4, down nearly 10 points from March and well below its recent peak of 115.9 reached in July 2025.
The index has fluctuated significantly in recent years. It reached a high of 147.8 in January 2020 before declining sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic. After partially recovering later in 2020, it fell again in subsequent years, hitting a low of 78.6 in July 2022.
Current attitudes toward the economy reflect growing concern:
- 34% of American adults rate the economy as excellent or good, down three points from the previous month
- 40% say the economy is poor, up six points from March
Expectations for the future also worsened:
- 22% believe the economy is improving, down eight points
- 56% expect conditions to get worse, up six points
- 17% say the economy will remain about the same, a slight increase
The economic survey was conducted April 1–2, 2026, among 1,500 American adults, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
Partisan divide widens
The data highlights a sharp partisan divide in economic perceptions. A majority of Republicans—53%—rate the economy as good or excellent, compared to 29% of Democrats and 25% of unaffiliated voters.
That represents a significant shift from late 2024. Republican confidence has increased by 33 points since October 2024, when just 20% viewed the economy positively. In contrast, Democratic confidence has dropped by 30 points over the same period, falling from 59%.
Broader sentiment trends
Taken together, the surveys suggest that concerns about the direction of the country and the economy remain closely linked. While economic confidence has improved from its lows in 2022, recent declines and rising pessimism about future conditions appear to be contributing to the continued “wrong track” sentiment among a majority of voters.
Rasmussen Reports noted that all survey fieldwork was conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC, using a combination of telephone and online methodologies.
