US Republicans have opened an extraordinary midterm convention in Dallas, betting that putting Donald Trump at the center of their campaign can rescue a party facing grim election forecasts despite the president's deeply negative approval ratings. The two-day gathering, dubbed 'Trumpapalooza,' aims to persuade Trump's supporters that he is effectively on the ballot on November 3, when Republicans risk losing the House of Representatives and face a fierce fight to retain the Senate.
Trump's Role and Challenges
Trump, whose approval rating stands at just 33 percent in recent polling, will speak on both convention nights at the American Airlines Center. His challenge is to mobilize voters personally loyal to him without further alienating independents already souring on his presidency amid inflation woes, gasoline prices topping $4 a gallon, and the continuing war with Iran. Matthew Green, a politics professor at the Catholic University of America, noted that many Trump supporters only vote when he is on the ballot. 'They're not diehard Republican voters; they're diehard Trump voters.'
Convention Dynamics and Strategy
The gathering is the first Republican national convention held specifically for a midterm election, although Democrats experimented with similar meetings in the 1970s and 1980s. No candidates will be nominated, and no formal party business is planned. Instead, organizers have constructed a two-night television rally touting Trump's record and Republican candidates. Over 100 House members and candidates are expected, with over 50 speakers or presentations scheduled each night. Trump delivers Wednesday's keynote and returns for Thursday's finale after Vice President JD Vance speaks. Cabinet members, congressional leaders, and candidates in closely watched House and Senate races are also on the program.
Republicans plan to highlight tax cuts, immigration enforcement, manufacturing, and prescription drug prices, while depicting Democrats as dangerously far to the left. Some Republicans, however, are privately hoping Trump sticks to that script rather than the personal grievances and off-message subjects that regularly dominate his appearances. Vulnerable Republicans in competitive races have decided that, less than two months from Election Day, their time is better spent campaigning at home.
House Speaker Mike Johnson has acknowledged the dilemma, saying some members need to remain home because it is a 'critical time' immediately before early voting accelerates nationwide. Republicans who do attend have also been asked to contribute at least $25,000 for tickets and lodging. The event doubles as a huge fundraising opportunity, with a Trump roundtable priced at $250,000 per person and photographs with the president offered for $88,600. And even Trump's promised national television showcase faces an unusually formidable rival: both convention nights coincide with the opening games of the NFL season.
