President Donald Trump announced that Republicans will hold a midterm convention in Dallas on Sept. 9 and Sept. 10.
The event is aimed at boosting turnout in House and Senate races that will decide whether the party maintains control of Congress, a push officials framed as necessary because Republicans hold only slim majorities and the party in power normally loses ground in midterms.
The Republican National Committee amended its rules in January to allow a convention during a midterm year, a change that permits party Chair Joe Gruters to convene the gathering; Gruters told reporters the convention would be a "Trump-a-palooza," and he told Fox News Digital, "I think the President of the United States is our secret weapon."
Trump wrote on Truth Social that the gathering was "BIG NEWS! For the first time ever, the Republican Party will hold a MIDTERM CONVENTION," and he added, "It will be in Dallas, Texas — One of my favorite places in the World," saying, "It has never been done before, and will be a truly Historic Event."
In his announcement, Trump touted policy achievements that he said will be focal points of the convention, including eliminating taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security; securing stronger borders and safer communities; American energy dominance; dropping oil prices; progress on denuclearizing Iran; and driving affordability for Americans. He pointed to a "no tax on tips" policy that allows a tax deduction of up to $25,000 for tips and to policies of deregulating fossil fuels to establish energy dominance.
He said the event would be a "rally like none other," and wrote it will feature "lots of great entertainment" and spotlight the nation's first responders, innovators, entrepreneurs, manufacturers and job creators, adding that "America’s 250th Birthday is approaching, and together, we are building the foundation for the NEXT 250 YEARS of American Greatness."
Locating the convention in Texas puts a spotlight on the state's Senate race, which the story identified as a contest between James Talarico and Ken Paxton; Paxton is described as the state attorney general who, with Trump's backing, defeated Sen. John Cornyn in a primary earlier this year. The primary was held in May, and the seat is being cast as an open Senate race after the Republican incumbent's defeat.
The article said Paxton's history of scandals — including an extramarital affair, an impeachment and a securities fraud case that did not lead to a conviction — has prompted Republican Senate leaders to fear his candidacy could be undermined and drain party resources, and some critics warned the midterm convention itself could draw resources away from key battlegrounds and has detractors among party officials.
The Democratic National Committee considered holding a similar gathering but decided against it earlier this year; Kendall Witmer, the DNC's director of rapid response, said, "The American people can’t afford their bills or to fill up at the pump because of Donald Trump, and Republicans’ response is to throw a multi-million dollar televised celebration for Trump that will only remind Americans of his failed promise to them and tie already flailing Republican swing-seat candidates to a historically unpopular president," and added, "Democrats are already hitting the trail and speaking directly with American voters about our plans to cut costs and make health care affordable." The party explored the idea before ultimately shelving it in March.
Less than five months remain until the midterm elections on Nov. 3, and a poll published Tuesday found that 58 percent of respondents disapproved of Trump's job performance. Trump is not on the ballot in the 2026 midterms, but the race is likely to be seen as a referendum on his second term so far.
Trump has said he fears a flip of Congress could lead to a third impeachment, telling Republicans in January, "You’ve got to win the midterms because, if we don’t win the midterms, it’s just going to be — I mean, they’ll find a reason to impeach me. I’ll be impeached." He was already impeached twice in his first term.
Democrats have begun to mock the Republican plan, comparing it to the Great American State Fair, which saw an exodus of performers amid concern about Trump's participation. A campaign account associated with House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries posted, "Will Vanilla Ice be performing?" and state Representative Cassandra Garcia Hernandez wrote on social media, "No further proof is needed that the national and Texas GOP are freaking the f*** out than this: they’re not only holding their first-ever midterm convention, they’re holding it right here in our state," adding, "The battleground for our nation runs through Texas."
Experts noted that Trump has pushed to nationalize the midterm elections, placing himself at the center of the race and seeking to exert federal control over state-level election administration, and they pointed out that party conventions are not typical of the midterm season; the Democratic Party's midterm gatherings largely petered out after 1982 as leaders denounced them as a waste of resources.