Polls Underestimated Democratic Gains Across Key Midterm RacesPolls Missed the Scale of Democratic Voters’ RebukePolling Misses Were Real, but the Broad Midterm Signal Held
Closing poll compilations fell short of the Democratic backing in a number of major Senate and gubernatorial races in the November 3, 2026, midterms, even as polls broadly signaled Democratic gains.Final averages understated Democratic strength in major November 3, 2026, races, as Democrats won key Senate contests and governorships and took control of the House.Despite errors in several November 3, 2026, races, polling broadly anticipated Democratic gains, while the results underscored the limits of precise forecasts.