Voters are sounding the alarm. An End Citizens United (ECU) July survey of likely 2026 congressional battleground voters shows that Americans across party lines believe Washington is broken, and 80% of them say there are at least big problems that need fixing. Corruption is seen as a driving force behind that dysfunction, and a majority of voters (53%) want Congress to make reducing corruption a “very big priority.”

Critically, the desire for “change” is defining the electorate, and voters increasingly equate corruption with a rigged, self-serving status quo. That creates an opportunity and a danger: Whichever party owns the change narrative will win, and right now, Republicans are winning it: They lead Democrats on voter trust to fix the broken system, take on corruption, and bring change.

The numbers are clear: Anti-corruption is a winning issue—especially with swing voters. Democrats must seize the anti-corruption mantle or risk losing in 2026.

You can download the memo containing key findings and takeaways as well as review the full report deck below.