Poll: 92% of Voters Say Corruption Plagues All Levels of Government
A new Brennan Center poll finds 92% of registered voters — Republicans, Democrats, and independents alike — say corruption is a serious problem in every level of U.S. government.
COLUMBUS, OHIO — Public corruption has become a significant concern leading into the 2026 midterm elections, with 92% of registered voters across party lines agreeing that corruption is a serious problem embedded in every level of government, according to a poll released earlier this month by the Brennan Center for Justice.
The survey, conducted among 2,000 registered voters between April 28 and May 6, found that more than 90% of Republicans, Democrats, and independents each separately identified corruption as a major issue permeating government institutions. The findings point to rare bipartisan consensus during a period of sharp political polarization.
Broad Agreement Across Party Lines
One of the more striking results involves the role of corporate money in politics. Sixty-five percent of Democrats, 66% of independents, and 56% of Republicans said corporate political contributions were a major cause of corruption — a level of cross-party agreement that stood out in the Brennan Center’s analysis.
Respondents also linked corruption directly to their broader economic frustrations. When asked whether corruption drives policies that benefit billionaires and large corporations at the expense of ordinary Americans, 83% of Republicans agreed, along with 90% of independents and 95% of Democrats.
The Brennan Center noted that voters define corruption in expansive terms, not limited to illegal conduct. “As for what qualifies as corruption, voters across party lines are in agreement,” the Brennan Center said in a written statement. “They understand corruption broadly, centered in part on the perception that government primarily works for the ultrawealthy and well-connected and doesn’t prioritize the interests of most voters. The poll finds that while 97% of voters say that a government official using their office for personal gain is corrupt, almost as many (89%) say the same about billionaires and big corporations having an easier time being heard than the general public.”
Corruption Tied to Top Voter Concerns
Analysts have noted that inflation and affordability have dominated the 2026 midterm election conversation, but the Brennan Center poll suggests voters now view corruption as intertwined with those economic issues rather than separate from them. The link between corporate influence and policy outcomes appears to be driving that connection, according to the poll’s findings.
The results suggest that large bipartisan majorities consider many activities that are technically legal under U.S. law to nonetheless constitute corruption in a practical sense. That broader definition may explain why concern about the issue cuts across traditional partisan divides.
National Implications for the Midterms
The Brennan Center poll was released as candidates and parties across the country, including in Ohio, are shaping their messages ahead of the November midterm elections. The data indicates that anti-corruption platforms could resonate with voters of all political affiliations, given the near-universal agreement on the severity of the problem.
The Brennan Center for Justice is a nonpartisan law and policy institute based at New York University School of Law. The poll included 2,000 registered voters and was conducted between April 28 and May 6, 2026.
