A longtime Republican voter says she is considering voting for Democrats in the November 2026 midterm elections.
A longtime Republican voter says she is now considering voting for Democrats in the November midterm elections after becoming increasingly dissatisfied with Donald Trump and the Republican Party.
The woman, identified as Melanie, discussed her changing political views during an appearance on SiriusXM’s The Megyn Kelly Wrap-Up Show on September 25, 2026. She said she had never voted for a Democrat before and had supported Trump until his administration appointed Pamela Bondi as attorney general.
Her comments are a personal account of one voter’s political shift. They do not, by themselves, show how other lifelong Republican voters intend to vote.
Why Melanie Says Her View of Trump Changed
Melanie told host Emily Jashinsky that she had considered herself “very conservative” and had supported Trump before becoming concerned about the direction of his administration.
She specifically pointed to Pamela Bondi’s appointment as attorney general as the moment when her opinion began to change.
According to reporting by IBTimes UK, Melanie said she had followed Trump for years and had never previously voted for a Democrat. She described Bondi’s appointment as the point when she started questioning the direction of the administration.
Her criticism was not limited to one policy. During the conversation, she expressed broader frustration with both Trump and the Republican Party and said she was considering either staying home on Election Day or voting for Democratic candidates.
What Happened to Pam Bondi?
Bondi’s tenure as attorney general ended in April 2026. President Trump removed her from the position on April 2, according to reporting from The Washington Post. Todd Blanche, who had been Bondi’s deputy, was named acting attorney general.
Read more: The Washington Post report on Bondi’s departure
Bondi’s handling of material related to Jeffrey Epstein was one of the issues that attracted significant attention during her time at the Justice Department.
In February 2025, Bondi said an Epstein “client list” was on her desk for review. Several months later, however, the Justice Department and FBI said their review had found no incriminating “client list.” The department also said it did not find grounds for further disclosure of the material it had reviewed.
Background: Associated Press report on the Epstein files review
The White House later said Bondi’s earlier reference to a list was intended to describe the broader investigative files rather than a specific document containing a list of clients.
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Trump Approval Among Republicans Has Also Changed
Melanie’s comments come at a time when polling shows that Trump’s approval among Republican voters has declined from earlier levels.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted September 17-20, 2026, found that 73% of Republican respondents approved of Trump’s overall job performance. That compared with 86% among Republicans in January and 82% in the previous Reuters/Ipsos survey.
Polling source: Ipsos: Republican ratings of Trump and cost of living
Trump’s overall approval among U.S. adults was 32% in that survey. The poll included 1,277 adults nationwide and was conducted using Ipsos’ probability-based KnowledgePanel.
Economic issues were particularly important in the survey. Republican approval of Trump’s handling of the U.S. economy had fallen from 80% in January to 56% in the September survey. Approval of his handling of the cost of living had fallen from 70% to 44%.
Cost of Living Remains a Major Issue
The economy and everyday expenses are also playing a significant role in the political conversation ahead of the midterm elections.
In the September Reuters/Ipsos polling, just 17% of respondents approved of Trump’s handling of the cost of living, while 51% of Republicans disapproved and 44% approved of his handling of the issue.
Read the Reuters report: Trump approval falls to a career low in September polling
The figures show a noticeable difference between overall Republican support for Trump and Republican views on specific issues.
That distinction matters when looking at voters such as Melanie. A voter can continue to identify as Republican while becoming dissatisfied with a particular administration, candidate or policy.
When Are the 2026 Midterm Elections?
The next regularly scheduled U.S. federal general election is Tuesday, November 3, 2026, according to the Federal Election Commission. The election will include congressional races across the country.
Official election information: Federal Election Commission
For Melanie, the question is now whether her frustration will translate into an actual change in how she votes.
She has said she is considering voting for Democrats despite never having done so before. She has also mentioned the possibility of not voting at all.
Until Election Day, her final decision cannot be known.
One Voter’s Story, Not a Measure of the Entire Republican Party
Melanie’s comments are notable because she describes herself as a lifelong Republican who says she has never previously voted for a Democrat.
But her experience should be viewed in that context.
One person’s decision does not establish a broader voting trend, and the available polling does not show that all or most longtime Republicans are considering the same move.
What the recent polling does show is that Trump’s approval among Republican respondents has fallen from earlier 2026 levels, particularly on economic issues such as the cost of living.
Melanie’s story adds a personal example to that broader polling picture. She says her political outlook changed during Trump’s second term, with Bondi’s appointment serving as an important turning point.
Whether she eventually votes Democratic, votes Republican, or decides not to vote will become clear only after the November election.