Elected officials across both state and federal government are facing growing dissatisfaction among Missouri voters, according to the latest statewide survey conducted by Saint Louis University and YouGov. The new polling data shows marked drops in public support for major political leaders, state institutions, and federal governing bodies, reflecting a shifting political climate in the state.
The research initiative surveyed 900 likely voters throughout Missouri between August 13 and August 24, 2026. The findings carry an overall margin of error of 4.09 percentage points, which defines the statistical variation expected compared to surveying the entire electorate. The joint SLU/YouGov polling project, which was launched in 2020, collects data twice per year to measure public sentiment on policy, key leadership, and upcoming ballot initiatives.
Among the most notable findings is the shifting perception of President Donald Trump. For the first time since the university began tracking voter attitudes in 2020, Trump’s statewide approval rating has fallen below the 50 percent threshold. Only 48 percent of surveyed Missouri voters expressed approval of his performance, whereas 52 percent stated that they disapprove.
The current figures represent a steady downward trend for the president over the past two years. In the February 2026 survey, Trump held a 53 percent approval rating among Missouri voters, following a 56 percent approval mark recorded the previous year in 2025.
Steve Rogers, the director of the poll and a political scientist at Saint Louis University, emphasized the historic nature of this shift within the poll’s dataset. Rogers observed that Trump's approval rating has entered negative territory for the first time in the six-year history of the survey, pointing out that his net rating is now firmly underwater among the state's likely electorate.
Missouri’s congressional delegation in the United States Senate has similarly experienced shrinking support. Republican Senator Josh Hawley saw his approval rating drop to 47 percent, which matches his lowest standing in the survey since 2023. Fellow Republican Senator Eric Schmitt registered at 44 percent approval, marking his lowest recorded evaluation since August 2023.
Broader federal institutions have not been spared from declining voter enthusiasm. The United States Congress recorded a 25 percent approval rating in August 2026, continuing a downward slide from 33 percent in February 2026 and an all-time high of 41 percent reached in February 2025, even with Republican majorities presiding in both legislative chambers. Over the same period, public approval of the United States Supreme Court fell to 45 percent, down from 51 percent in February 2025.
Discontent has extended to the state government in Jefferson City as well. Governor Mike Kehoe saw a steep drop of 10 percentage points over a six-month span, falling from an even 50 percent approval rating in February 2026 to just 40 percent in August.
The Missouri State Legislature experienced a parallel reduction in constituent approval. Positive assessments of the General Assembly decreased from 51 percent in February 2026 down to 42 percent in the latest August poll, mirroring the broader pattern of voter fatigue seen across other governing bodies.
In the statewide electoral races, the contest for State Auditor of Missouri emerged as unexpectedly competitive, with candidate preferences falling inside the survey's margin of error. Analysts noted that such tight margins are historically unusual in a state that has consistently leaned heavily Republican in recent election cycles.
Rogers explained that incumbent State Auditor Fitzpatrick is confronting typical presidential midterm dynamics that now favor the opposition party. While voter frustration with former President Joe Biden created a favorable environment for Republicans in 2022, Rogers noted that the prevailing dissatisfaction with Republican leadership in 2026 has introduced significant political headwinds for statewide candidates.
Beyond evaluations of public officials, the survey captured sharp pushback against commercial development, particularly the expansion of data centers that house computer servers for data storage and transmission. Opposition to having these facilities built locally has escalated significantly across the state.
Community-level opposition to data centers surged by roughly 17 percentage points, with 68 percent of respondents now indicating they oppose data center construction within their own local municipalities, up from 51 percent in February. The poll examined the issue through a split sample of 449 respondents to evaluate how question ordering regarding local versus statewide data center placement influenced respondent attitudes.
The survey also measured voter sentiment on several major ballot measures scheduled for the upcoming November 3 ballot, including Amendment 3, Amendment 6, and Proposition A. The responses indicated a mix of shifting views, strong support, and ongoing confusion regarding the proposals.
Support for Amendment 3, which aims to overturn the 2024 voter-approved measure that ended Missouri's abortion ban, saw a clear decline. Approval for the measure dropped from 50 percent in February to 43 percent in August, while 44 percent of respondents stated their opposition, leaving the contested constitutional amendment in a dead heat within the statistical margin of error.
Meanwhile, Amendment 6 garnered 48 percent support among likely voters, though Rogers pointed out that approximately one-third of the electorate remains undecided. If passed, the amendment would restrict state lawmakers from easily altering voter-approved statutory and constitutional ballot initiatives, mandating an 80 percent legislative supermajority alongside a mandatory statewide ratifying vote before any changes could take effect. Finally, Rogers noted that Proposition A continues to generate the greatest degree of uncertainty and voter confusion among the pending fall ballot measures.
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