Democrats in Better Position to Handle Top Two Voter Issues New Zogby Strategies Poll
A recent John Zogby Strategies poll shows the Democratic Party leading the GOP by 5 percentage points in the Congressional generic ballot (47% to 42%), leaving 7% undecided, and 4% going with another party.
The poll was conducted online February 4 – 5, 2026, among 1,000 likely voters nationwide, and has a margin of sampling error of +/-3.2 percentage points.
Looking at independent voters, Democrats’ lead over Republicans now at 16 percentage points (43% to 27%).
The poll also revealed the top issues that will drive voters’ decisions to cast their ballots come November, using a comprehensive list of 13 hot-button issues and asking participants to cite their top 2.
Below are the top six cited by voters that received double digits.
| Inflation and the affordability crisis | 48% |
| Americans’ health and the healthcare system | 25% |
| Immigration and the border | 23% |
| Crime and public safety | 19% |
| Tariffs and diplomacy | 16% |
| The Epstein files and government corruptions | 14% |
The survey also asked which party is better positioned to handle each issue.
Democrats outperformed Republicans on the top two issues cited in the poll – inflation and the affordability crisis, and Americans’ health and the healthcare system.
| Dem | Rep | |
| Handling the affordability crisis | 40% | 35% |
| Americans’ growing concern about health | 44% | 32% |
| Finding the best solution to immigration | 34% | 41% |
| Preventing crime and unrest in large cities | 32% | 42% |
| Securing America’s competitive edge in an increasingly competitive world | 35% | 39% |
| Regaining trust in government in light of the Epstein files | 35% | 29% |
Not listed in the table above but worth mentioning – Republicans edge Democrats when it comes to voter expectations for keeping the American Dream alive. And Democrats outperformed Republicans in meeting the needs of working-class and middle-class Americans.
Zogby Strategies Analysis: While Republicans bring a competitive edge in securing confidence among voters on key issues like immigration, crime, and securing America’s edge in the world, it’s abundantly clear today that Democrats have the edge when it comes to what matters most – the affordability crisis and health coverage. Thus far, this election is about what keeps Americans up at night.
Contact jeremy@johnzogbystrategies.com for source data and media inquiries.
