{"publisher":{"name":"MediaBias News","url":"https://mediabias.news","methodology":"https://mediabias.news/methodology","editorialPrinciples":"https://mediabias.news/editorial-principles","corrections":"https://mediabias.news/corrections"},"scoreGuide":{"trust":"How well corroborated and evidenced the source reporting is. 0-100, higher is better.","critic":"Craft quality of the source journalism: context, balance, fact vs comment. 0-100, higher is better.","hype":"How far the source presentation runs ahead of substance. 0-100, LOWER IS BETTER.","scope":"Scores assess the original reporting this article was written from, not the truth of the underlying event and not the quality of this write-up."},"assessmentGuide":{"type":"coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis","factCheck":{"status":"not-performed","note":"Media Bias News compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It does not currently publish a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true."},"sourceFactuality":{"note":"Factuality values describe published ratings of the outlets that covered the story. They are not a factuality verdict on this story or its claims."}},"story":{"id":"https://mediabias.news/politics/poll-finds-most-voters-believe-us-is-heading-in-wrong-direction","slug":"poll-finds-most-voters-believe-us-is-heading-in-wrong-direction","url":"https://mediabias.news/politics/poll-finds-most-voters-believe-us-is-heading-in-wrong-direction","title":"Poll finds most voters believe US is heading in wrong direction","subtitle":"Independent voters are among the most dissatisfied ahead of the midterm elections, according to a new poll.","excerpt":"A national poll indicates that most registered voters believe the United States is heading in the wrong direction. Independent voters, who often influence election outcomes, are reportedly among the most dissatisfied.","category":"Politics","area":"United States","publishedAt":"2026-08-30T22:25:13.837Z","sourceReportedAt":"2026-08-30T20:00:00.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-30T22:25:13.837Z","readTime":"2 min read","scores":{"trust":58,"critic":77,"hype":15,"notes":{"trust":"Trust 58: multiple independent digests cite the Center Square poll with specific percentages.","critic":"Critic 77: provides context, clear facts, specific figures, and coherent summary.","hype":"Hype 15: language is measured and proportional to the poll summary."}},"tags":["#USPolitics","#MidtermElections","#PublicOpinion","#VoterDissatisfaction"],"entities":["The Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll","Independent voters"],"body":[{"type":"key_takeaways","items":["A national poll shows 60% of registered voters believe the country is going in the wrong direction.","Only 30% of registered voters stated the country is headed in the right direction.","Independent voters are identified as being among the most dissatisfied.","The findings come as the US heads into midterm elections."]},{"type":"paragraph","text":"A national poll has found that a majority of registered voters believe the United States is heading in the wrong direction. The Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll indicated that 60% of registered voters hold this view. In contrast, 30% of registered voters believe the country is headed in the right direction, and 10% expressed uncertainty."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"The poll also highlighted the sentiment among independent voters, who are often seen as key to close electoral races. According to the findings, independent voters are among the most dissatisfied with the country's current direction. These results emerge as the nation approaches midterm elections."},{"type":"heading","text":"Coverage comparison"},{"type":"heading","text":"What the coverage left out"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"None of the right-rated digests mention the specific percentage of voters who believe the country is headed in the right direction or the percentage who are unsure. The left-rated and centre-rated digests do not include these figures either."}],"basedOn":[{"sourceName":"The Daily Signal","url":"https://dailysignal.com/2026/08/30/poll-independents-sour-before-midterms","headline":"Poll: Independents Sour on Country’s Direction Before Midterms","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-30T20:00:00.000Z"},{"sourceName":"thedailybs.com","url":"https://thedailybs.com/2026/08/30/poll-independents-sour-on-countrys-direction-before-midterms","headline":"Poll: Independents sour on country's direction before midterms - The Daily Bo Snerdley","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-30T13:34:21.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Watauga Democrat","url":"https://wataugademocrat.com/news/national/poll-independents-sour-on-countrys-direction-before-midterms/article_36d9a815-f4a8-591e-8049-ef19430705eb.html","headline":"Poll: Independents sour on country's direction before midterms","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-30T13:25:00.000Z"},{"sourceName":"The Center Square","url":"https://thecentersquare.com/national/article_e2cf163f-2b11-4ba5-b781-1fbfdc279003.html","headline":"Poll: Independents sour on country's direction before midterms","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-30T13:25:00.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Vincennes Sun-Commercial","url":"https://suncommercial.com/news/national/article_801e36ae-e0d5-5219-a962-8f3ba2f0eb1d.html","headline":"Poll: Independents sour on country's direction before midterms","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-30T13:25:00.000Z"},{"sourceName":"[your]NEWS","url":"https://yournews.com/2026/08/30/7181184/poll-independents-sour-on-countrys-direction-before-midterms","headline":"Poll: Independents sour on country’s direction before midterms","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-30T13:25:00.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Purdue Exponent","url":"https://purdueexponent.org/news/national/poll-independents-sour-on-countrys-direction-before-midterms/article_1b058f86-7168-5542-89ea-2cee29c11dff.html","headline":"Poll: Independents sour on country's direction before midterms","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-30T13:25:00.000Z"}],"analysis":{"distribution":{"percent":{"left":14,"centre":15,"right":71},"count":{"left":1,"centre":1,"right":5},"totalSources":7,"untracked":0,"rated":7,"observedAt":"2026-08-30T22:15:50.145820+00:00"},"lifecycle":{"state":"developing","lastCheckedAt":"2026-08-30T22:30:37.293Z","closedAt":null,"checks":1,"changes":0,"reopened":false},"framing":{"left":["The Watauga Democrat digest reported that most American voters believe the country is on the wrong track heading into the midterm elections. It noted that independent voters, who often decide close races, are among the most dissatisfied, according to a new national poll."],"centre":["The Purdue Exponent digest stated that most American voters believe the country is on the wrong track heading into the midterm elections. It also reported that independent voters, who often decide close races, are among the most dissatisfied, according to a new national poll."],"right":["Five right-rated digests reported that most American voters believe the country is on the wrong track heading into the midterm elections. They highlighted that independent voters, who often decide close races, are among the most dissatisfied, according to a new national poll. The Daily Signal, The Center Square, Vincennes Sun-Commercial, and [your]NEWS digests stated that 60% of registered voters say the country is going in the wrong direction. The Daily Bo Snerdley digest added that 30% say it is headed in the right direction and 10% are unsure."],"comparison":""},"blindspot":null,"sourceFactualityDistribution":{"mixed":2,"high":2,"unknown":1,"veryHigh":2},"ownershipDistribution":{"independent":2},"firstDatedReport":{"sourceName":"Watauga Democrat","url":"https://wataugademocrat.com/news/national/poll-independents-sour-on-countrys-direction-before-midterms/article_36d9a815-f4a8-591e-8049-ef19430705eb.html","publishedAt":"2026-08-30T13:25:00.000Z"},"countries":[{"country":"Calhoun, Gordon County, Georgia, United States","count":1},{"country":"Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, United States","count":1},{"country":"Washington, District of Columbia, United States","count":1}],"outlets":[{"name":"Watauga Democrat","url":"https://wataugademocrat.com/news/national/poll-independents-sour-on-countrys-direction-before-midterms/article_36d9a815-f4a8-591e-8049-ef19430705eb.html","headline":"Poll: Independents sour on country's direction before midterms","publishedAt":"2026-08-30T13:25:00.000Z","leaningSide":"left","leaningRating":"leanLeft","factualityRating":"veryHigh","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"Calhoun, Gordon County, Georgia, United States","repostedFrom":"Purdue Exponent"},{"name":"The Center Square","url":"https://thecentersquare.com/national/article_e2cf163f-2b11-4ba5-b781-1fbfdc279003.html","headline":"Poll: Independents sour on country's direction before midterms","publishedAt":"2026-08-30T13:25:00.000Z","leaningSide":"right","leaningRating":"leanRight","factualityRating":"high","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, United States","repostedFrom":"Purdue Exponent"},{"name":"Vincennes Sun-Commercial","url":"https://suncommercial.com/news/national/article_801e36ae-e0d5-5219-a962-8f3ba2f0eb1d.html","headline":"Poll: Independents sour on country's direction before midterms","publishedAt":"2026-08-30T13:25:00.000Z","leaningSide":"right","leaningRating":"leanRight","factualityRating":"high","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":null,"repostedFrom":"Purdue Exponent"},{"name":"[your]NEWS","url":"https://yournews.com/2026/08/30/7181184/poll-independents-sour-on-countrys-direction-before-midterms","headline":"Poll: Independents sour on country’s direction before midterms","publishedAt":"2026-08-30T13:25:00.000Z","leaningSide":"right","leaningRating":"right","factualityRating":"mixed","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":null,"repostedFrom":null},{"name":"Purdue Exponent","url":"https://purdueexponent.org/news/national/poll-independents-sour-on-countrys-direction-before-midterms/article_1b058f86-7168-5542-89ea-2cee29c11dff.html","headline":"Poll: Independents sour on country's direction before midterms","publishedAt":"2026-08-30T13:25:00.000Z","leaningSide":"centre","leaningRating":"center","factualityRating":"veryHigh","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":null,"repostedFrom":null},{"name":"thedailybs.com","url":"https://thedailybs.com/2026/08/30/poll-independents-sour-on-countrys-direction-before-midterms","headline":"Poll: Independents sour on country's direction before midterms - The Daily Bo Snerdley","publishedAt":"2026-08-30T13:34:21.000Z","leaningSide":"right","leaningRating":"leanRight","factualityRating":"unknown","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":null,"repostedFrom":null},{"name":"The Daily Signal","url":"https://dailysignal.com/2026/08/30/poll-independents-sour-before-midterms","headline":"Poll: Independents Sour on Country’s Direction Before Midterms","publishedAt":"2026-08-30T20:00:00.000Z","leaningSide":"right","leaningRating":"right","factualityRating":"mixed","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"Washington, District of Columbia, United States","repostedFrom":"[your]NEWS"}]},"assessment":{"type":"coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis","factCheck":{"status":"not-performed","note":"Media Bias News compares coverage and scores the source reporting. 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