Trump Pushes First Midterm Convention Amid GOP Risks

Republicans face a high-stakes test in November with control of Congress on the line and an incumbent president whose approval sits near historic lows for his party. The two-day gathering opening Wednesday in Dallas marks the first national midterm convention in nearly 50 years, an event President Trump directed party leaders to create after telling House Speaker Mike Johnson last November that they needed to “make it a thing.”

The convention places Trump and Vice President JD Vance at center stage while dozens of candidates decide how closely to link their campaigns to an administration presiding over an unpopular conflict with Iran and elevated consumer prices. Trump’s approval rating stands at 38 percent in the New York Times polling average and in the mid-30s in other surveys, including just 20 percent among independents in an August Reuters/Ipsos poll. Candidates in competitive races must weigh the benefit of consolidating core supporters against the hazard of broader voter backlash.

Trump is scheduled to speak both nights, with Vance anchoring Thursday. Confirmed speakers include Senate candidates Jon Husted of Ohio, Mike Rogers of Michigan and Michael Whatley of North Carolina, along with House members such as Mike Lawler of New York, Rob Bresnahan and Ryan Mackenzie of Pennsylvania, and Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin. Several battleground candidates, including Susan Collins of Maine, Dan Sullivan of Alaska and John E. Sununu of New Hampshire, are not attending. Trump’s super PAC has begun spending in key races, including a $10 million buy supporting Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

Democrats are counter-programming with a news conference in Dallas featuring Representatives Robert Garcia, Jason Crow, Madeleine Dean and Sydney Kamlager-Dove. Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico is holding a food drive focused on grocery costs. The program emphasizes testimonials from supporters of Trump policies and attacks on Democratic positions regarding socialism and transgender issues. Broadcast networks have not committed to live coverage, and the event overlaps with the NFL season opener.

The party altered its rules to allow the gathering and has pursued congressional map changes in states including Texas to limit Democratic gains. Historical precedent shows the president’s party typically loses seats in midterms; Democrats held similar events in the 1970s and 1980s before abandoning them over cost and internal divisions. Whether the Dallas meeting improves Republican turnout or reinforces perceptions of an out-of-touch party remains the central unresolved question.