American voters would rather see Congress lower costs and end the conflict in Iran than launch investigations into President Donald Trump and his administration, according to two polls. The findings arrive as Democrats prepare [1] a wave of probes targeting Trump, Cabinet officials, federal agencies, and business executives who worked with the administration.
An October poll conducted by Associated Press-NORC and the Center for Public Affairs Research found that voters from both major political parties want the next Congress focused on affordability and the Iran conflict. Those priorities remained clear regardless of the midterm outcome.
The Associated Press reported the findings in late October, noting that Trump remained a central figure in the midterm campaign. “The results suggest that voters are ready for Congress to tackle core issues, despite Trump’s centrality in the midterm campaign,” the report stated.
CNN offered Democrats another warning Wednesday in a story titled “The danger for Democrats in investigating Trump.” The network said Democrats “confront some risk in looking like they are overly consumed with investigating President Donald Trump and his administration.”
CNN cited a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted shortly after the election that presented voters with several possible priorities for the first 100 days of Democrats’ new majorities. Investigating the Trump administration landed near the bottom of the list.
“Out of eight options, investigating the Trump administration was about tied for the lowest priority. It ranked far behind things like lowering prices, ending the Iran war and regulating artificial intelligence. It even ranked behind immigration reform,” the article stated.
Both polls found that voters place lowering costs and ending the Iran conflict ahead of investigations into the administration. Finding common ground between Republicans and Democrats also ranked as a greater concern than another round of Trump focused probes.
The polling presents an awkward reality for left wing Democrats eager to wield their new congressional authority against Trump and administration officials. Their public statements suggest they are prepared to charge ahead despite voters ranking investigations among their lowest priorities.
Rep. Robert Garcia, a California Democrat, posted “LAWYER UP” in all capital letters on election night.
LAWYER UP.
— Congressman Robert Garcia (@RepRobertGarcia) November 4, 2026 [2]
Garcia, the incoming House Oversight Committee chairman, also promised to target the “Trump crime family,” ICE and DHS officials, and corporate executives who worked with the administration.
Days later, Garcia compared himself to a murderous clown who targets children. The bizarre comparison had little, if any, connection to the jurisdiction of the House Oversight Committee, but it added another theatrical flourish to Democrats’ planned investigative push.
Why would Robert Garcia post this? He’s comparing himself to a creepy sewer clown who murders children.
— Jason Rantz on Seattle Red (@jasonrantz) November 7, 2026 [3]
The White House has responded with a forceful warning about the scope and conduct of those proposed probes. White House counsel Will Scharf sent Garcia a letter earlier this week warning that the committee’s investigative zeal could veer into “blatant criminality.”
Scharf also told Garcia to concentrate on legitimate areas of congressional oversight. The warning drew a clear line between lawful oversight work and the kind of political attacks Democrats have been openly promising against Trump and his officials.
The letter followed Trump’s direction that the U.S. Department of Justice investigate threatening letters that Democrat leaders allegedly sent to administration officials and other Republicans in recent days. Trump accused Democrats of using threats of impeachment and punishment without identifying any impeachable conduct.
NEW: Democrat Rep. Al Green PLANS TO IMPEACH President Trump.
YIKES! THIS AGAIN. https://t.co/fOiB3QDi1H
— Jesse Watters (@JesseBWatters) November 13, 2026 [4]
“The Democrats are going around threatening a lot of people, including the Attorney General of the United States, and others, with Impeachment and many other forms of punishment, even though they admit they have no reason to do so, and there have been no impeachable acts committed, or even thought of, by the victims of this illegal process. This is extortion at the highest level, and they should be held accountable for this,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The surveys leave Democrats with a straightforward choice between the priorities voters identified and an investigation heavy agenda aimed at Trump. For now, prominent Democrats such as Garcia appear willing to ignore that message and move forward with their promised probes.