DALLAS — The GOP midterm convention opens this week in Texas with former President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance set to headline, as Republicans work to rally supporters for contests that will determine control of Congress.
Republicans and Democrats typically reserve large conventions for presidential election years. Trump proposed a midterm-focused gathering last year to showcase Republican policy achievements from the past two years, and he touted the Dallas event as a historic rally when he announced it earlier this summer.
Trump will appear at the American Airlines Center on Wednesday and Thursday nights, delivering remarks both evenings and the keynote on opening night. Vance will headline the second night.
GOP midterm convention arrives amid political headwinds
The convention comes as the party faces energized Democratic opponents and the challenge of defending narrow majorities in the House and Senate. Some Republican strategists have questioned whether a two-night showcase centered on Trump, whose approval ratings remain low, is the best approach.
Party leaders say they will use the event to draw a sharp contrast with Democrats, arguing the opposition has moved too far left and linking them to socialist proposals.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said last month that the election is a contrast between what he called common-sense solutions and what he described as the other side’s extremes. Democrats, seeking to reclaim congressional control, have grappled with poor favorability ratings and a series of high-profile primary wins by progressive candidates that Republicans say help them paint Democrats as out of the mainstream.
Republicans also face historical midterm headwinds that often hit the party in power. The political environment has been shaped by persistent inflation visible in grocery and fuel costs, high gas prices connected in public polling to an unpopular war with Iran, and Trump’s weak favorability numbers.
The Democratic National Committee’s chair predicted last month that Democrats will regain power in November. The Democratic National Committee has pointed to voter frustration with economic trends as a key advantage.
Republican National Committee Chair Joe Gruters countered that the party can defy historical trends. He and other GOP leaders are highlighting recently enacted tax cuts on tips, overtime and Social Security that Republicans in Congress passed and Trump signed last year.
Messaging, turnout and fundraising goals
Republicans acknowledge a turnout challenge with some MAGA-aligned voters who are less likely to vote when Trump is not on the ballot. Gruters called Trump a singular political showman who can energize low-propensity voters, arguing the convention will give the party two nights of broad exposure to promote its record.
Democrats, who opted against holding a similar midterm gathering and are working through debt, cast the Dallas event as a costly spectacle. A DNC spokesperson criticized Republicans for staging what they called a multi-million dollar celebration instead of focusing on lowering costs and expanding access to healthcare.
Veteran GOP strategist Doug Heye said the concept of a midterm convention could work if Republicans emphasize efforts to reduce prices and avoid a program dominated by personality. He warned that a focus on spectacle would likely fall flat with voters who are most concerned about economic issues.
Republicans enter the week with a significant fundraising advantage and plan to add to it during the convention. An invitation confirmed by party officials asks donors for more than $88,000 for a photo with Trump at a private roundtable.
Organizers plan to raise millions as the two-day event unfolds. Early Labor Day campaign travel, including events where Trump delivered his Labor Day message predicting GOP wins, has already tested some of the themes expected to appear in Dallas.
Who is speaking in Dallas
Alongside Trump and Vance, the speaker lineup includes Attorney General Todd Blanche, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner, former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, and Donald Trump Jr.
House Speaker Mike Johnson will address the convention. Senate Majority Leader John Thune does not appear on the official speakers list, though a source familiar with his plans said he will be in Dallas to assist with fundraising for Senate candidates.
Recent polling underscores the stakes. In a national survey, three in four voters reported financial hardship from inflation, and a majority expected the economy to worsen.
Democrats blamed rising prices and gas costs on Trump’s handling of a war they say Americans did not want. Republicans point to their tax measures and plan to use the Dallas stage to press their case directly to voters.
Government officials at agencies such as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are likely to watch closely as both parties frame their economic and healthcare agendas heading into November.
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