NBC exit polls showed 2026 voters preferred Democrats on every issue aside from immigration, with affordability and economics playing a pivotal role.

As Republicans scramble to comprehend the reasons for, and scale of, their loss on Tuesday, exit polls provide the first hints of what went wrong. A sizable majority had negative views of President Donald Trump and his policies, and preferred Democrats on nearly every issue, a major reversal from 2024. The single exception was on immigration, where Republicans were preferred by 44% of voters, compared to 41% who preferred Democrats.

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