We are awash in numbers, data and polling. So, what are the best ones to keep track of in politics?

Candidate quality, funding and the demographic makeup of states and congressional districts are important, but so is the political environment candidates run in. And that environment fluctuates wildly.

As we head into the 2026 campaign, with control of the House and Senate up for grabs, here are some of the key numbers to follow that will help define the political environment. They are not all of equal weight, which we break down in the podcast, but taken together they add up to a foundation for getting at that most basic of questions: What’s going on?

• Presidential approval rating
• Consumer sentiment
• The unemployment rate
• Satisfaction with the direction of the country
• Congressional approval
• Generic congressional ballot question

Show Notes:

• At House GOP retreat, Trump questions ‘mind of the public’ ahead of midterms
• Could House control change party hands before November?
• Democrats recalibrate on Jan. 6 messaging ahead of midterms
• A blowout win for Democrats in 2026?
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