MONTHLY REPORT · MAY 2026
Senate approval edged up 0.5 points to 49.1%, while House approval edged down 0.6 points to 48.1%
By USApprate · Data through May 31, 2026
This report summarizes community approval ratings recorded on USApprate through the end of May 2026. Visitors cast 141 votes during the month (98 on members of Congress, 3 on parties and 40 on Cabinet posts), and 538 senators and representatives had at least one rating on file by month's end.
Senate vs. House in May 2026
Senate approval edged up 0.5 points to 49.1%. House approval edged down 0.6 points to 48.1%.
The Senate finished 1.0 points ahead of the House. The House moved more over the month, by 0.6 points.
The Senate figure rests on 397 votes across 98 rated senators; the House figure on 1,576 votes across 440 rated representatives. Both are pooled rates, so members with more votes weigh more heavily in the result.
| Chamber | Approval | Change (pts) | Rated members | Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senate | 49.1% | +0.5 | 98 | 397 |
| House | 48.1% | −0.6 | 440 | 1,576 |
Party comparison
Independent members led at 50.0% across 3 rated members, followed by Democratic at 48.3%, then Republican at 48.2%; the spread from top to bottom was 1.8 points.
Independent members' pooled approval held steady at 50.0%. Democratic members' pooled approval held steady at 48.3%. Republican members' pooled approval edged down 0.8 points to 48.2%.
Votes on the parties themselves are tracked separately from votes on members. Cumulative to month's end: Democratic Party at 50.0% on 2 votes; Republican Party at 0.0% on 3 votes; Independent at 0.0% on 1 votes.
Party figures describe who chose to vote on USApprate, not the electorate as a whole, and members of different parties are rated by different mixes of visitors. They are useful for tracking change over time, less so for deciding which party is "more popular".
| Party | Approval | Change (pts) | Rated members | Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | 50.0% | ±0.0 | 3 | 10 |
| Democratic | 48.3% | ±0.0 | 262 | 939 |
| Republican | 48.2% | −0.8 | 273 | 1,024 |
Highest-rated members
No member had at least 10 votes by the end of May 2026, so no ranking is shown.
Lowest-rated members
No member had at least 10 votes by the end of May 2026, so no ranking is shown.
Biggest movers vs. April
No member with at least 10 votes in both months changed by 0.1 points or more.
State highlights
Among states whose members drew at least 20 combined votes, Massachusetts (61.5%), Nevada (59.1%) and Louisiana (58.8%) had the highest pooled approval.
Mississippi (34.8%), Connecticut (36.4%) and Indiana (36.7%) had the lowest.
California drew the most attention overall: 188 votes across 53 rated members, at 49.5% approval.
| State | Approval | Votes | Rated members |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 61.5% | 39 | 11 |
| Nevada | 59.1% | 22 | 6 |
| Louisiana | 58.8% | 34 | 8 |
| State | Approval | Votes | Rated members |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | 34.8% | 23 | 6 |
| Connecticut | 36.4% | 22 | 7 |
| Indiana | 36.7% | 49 | 11 |
Vote volume
Visitors cast 141 votes in May 2026: 98 on individual members, 3 on parties and 40 on Cabinet posts.
No votes were recorded in April, so there is no baseline for comparison.
May 30 was the busiest day for member votes, with 34.
| Category | This month | Previous month |
|---|---|---|
| Member votes | 98 | 0 |
| Party votes | 3 | 0 |
| Cabinet votes | 40 | 0 |
| All votes | 141 | 0 |
Methodology and limits
USApprate ratings are community ratings. Each visitor can support or oppose a member of Congress, a party or a Cabinet post, once each, and can change that vote later. Approval is support divided by support plus oppose.
These are not scientific polls. Voters are self-selected, are not weighted to match the US population, and are not a representative sample, so a rate here should not be read as national opinion or as a forecast of any election.
Chamber, party and state figures pool all votes rather than averaging members. Member tables list only members with at least 10 votes and state comparisons need at least 20 combined votes. Figures come from the last daily snapshot of the month; changes compare it with the last snapshot of the month before.