Republicans are convening in Texas on Wednesday for an unusual “midterm convention,” seeking to persuade Americans to support a party led by President Donald Trump amid persistent inflation and growing opposition to the war he has led the United States into.
Trump is set to dominate the two-day gathering, with appearances scheduled on both nights as Republicans fight to retain their narrow House majority in November. Party leaders are placing the president at the center of the event despite his approval rating hovering around 38%, while portraying Democrats as socialist and disconnected from voters.
The president’s political toxicity has already prompted some vulnerable Republicans to stay away from the Dallas convention. Their absence risks angering Trump but allows them to avoid being publicly associated with an increasingly unpopular leader.
With less than two months until the midterm elections, Republicans face a difficult struggle to maintain control of the House, while Democrats see growing opportunities to gain Senate seats. Capturing either chamber would enable Democrats to obstruct Trump’s agenda during the final two years of his presidency.
The convention may be the Republicans’ last major, high-profile opportunity to present their case directly to voters. Joe Gruters, chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC), which is organizing the event, said its program would show how the party is “lowering costs, securing our border, making our communities safer, and putting American workers and families first”.
Whether that message resonates remains uncertain. Costs, including gasoline prices, have increased during Trump’s presidency, and forecasters give Republicans only a slim chance of retaining the House. Several members of Congress have consequently sought distance from the convention, with some confirming they will not attend.
Some Democrats are also gathering in Dallas to challenge the convention’s message. On Wednesday, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker attended a Texas Democratic Party event and accused Republicans campaigning for Trump of “bootlicking”. He also argued that Trump’s push for restrictions on mail-in voting threatens the prospect of fair elections in the future.
“If Democrats don’t win, if they don’t win in this election, we may not have other elections,” Pritzker said. “Or certainly we’re going to have future elections, every single one of which will be rigged.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said a group of Democrats would gather at the American Airlines Center on Thursday to “counter the falsehoods and extremism” on display there.
Republicans facing competitive re-election contests have been especially reluctant to attend, aware that Democratic opponents could use their presence to link them to Trump. Tom Barrett, who is locked in a close race in Michigan, and Zach Nunn, facing a tight contest in Iowa, are among those who have said they will not travel to Texas. Axios reported Thursday that “only about 100 lawmakers and candidates are expected to attend.”
Association with Trump is not the only concern. Multiple reports say House Republicans have been asked to donate at least $25,000 to the party to obtain a ticket.
Those confirmed to attend include JD Vance, former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, and Ken Paxton, the Republican nominee for Senate in Texas. Paxton is polling evenly with Democrat James Talarico in a state that has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1988.
There are also indications of limited enthusiasm among ordinary Republican supporters. When the RNC opened ticket applications in mid-August, it said applicants would enter a lottery and only a select number would receive access.
By Friday, however, just days before the convention was due to begin, an RNC registration page was immediately approving ticket requests, suggesting the event had not reached capacity.
A weak turnout would reflect poorly on Trump himself. RNC promotional materials made clear during the buildup that the convention was intended to showcase the president. Some messages even described it as “Trump’s midterm convention,” omitting the word “Republican,” while every press release emphasized that Trump would appear on both nights.
Trump expressed confidence about the gathering during a podcast interview last week, telling Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick: “It’s going to be big stuff.”