Dana Taylor

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As the critical midterms approach, we're taking a look at how Trump's numbers may be influencing voters.

At stake, 435 House seats, 35 Senate seats, 39 governorships, and the nation's political direction for the next two years.

Hello and welcome to USA Today's The Excerpt.

I'm Dana Taylor.

Today is Tuesday, February 17th, 2026.

Here to help me talk about what the numbers can tell us about those midterms is USA Today Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page.

Susan, thank you so much for joining me.

Susan, President Donald Trump isn't going to be on the ballot this fall and per law never will be again.

Why does voters' perception of his track record so far matter so much in the midterms?

Let's shift to Trump's approval rating.

What is it now?

How has it been trending?

And what does it tell us about how the upcoming midterm elections might go?

Voters across America are very concerned right now about the economy.

The University of Michigan's Authoritative Consumer Sentiment Survey measures this through a number called either economic optimism or economic angst, depending on its value.

Where does that stand today?

What kinds of levers has the Trump administration been using to execute on his promise to lower prices and, in general, make the economy outlook a little brighter for people?

I did want to ask about that.