By Staff, Agencies

A Reuters/Ipsos poll completed on Monday showed that US President Donald Trump's approval rating remains near its lowest recorded level, with 32% of respondents approving of his performance, unchanged from the previous week and just above the record low of 31% recorded two weeks earlier.

Among independent voters, 50% said their congressional vote was intended to oppose Trump, compared with 13% who said they were voting in his favor, while 33% said he was not a factor in their decision. 

Nationally, Democrats led Republicans by 46% to 38% on the generic congressional ballot, although their lead narrowed from 11 percentage points a week earlier. 

The poll also found that 49% of Democratic voters were very enthusiastic about voting, compared with 33% of Republicans.

Rising living costs and fuel prices emerged as major concerns ahead of the elections, particularly following the US war on Iran launched in February. 

Around 78% of respondents identified the cost of living as a very important or the most important factor in their voting decisions, with Democrats leading Republicans on the issue by 43% to 32%. 

Meanwhile, the national average gasoline price reached $4.16 per gallon on Monday, up from $2.98 before the war, while diesel prices exceeded $6. 

Trump described higher fuel prices as "a small price to pay" for what he called national security objectives. The Pentagon has estimated the war's cost at more than $47 billion, excluding extensive damage to US military bases across West Asia.

The elections will determine control of Congress, with all 435 House seats contested, while the Senate presents a separate challenge. 

Democratic strategists face internal divisions, particularly in Michigan, where Representative Haley Stevens endorsed Republican Mike Rogers over Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed. 

In Alaska, meanwhile, a federal judge dismissed a Justice Department lawsuit seeking to delay certification of the Senate race.

Trump acknowledged the historical difficulties facing the president's party during midterm elections, saying in a closing campaign speech that it traditionally "doesn't win the midterms." 

The Reuters/Ipsos survey questioned 1,765 US adults online and carries a margin of error of two percentage points.