Republicans hold first-ever GOP midterm convention in Dallas, aiming to boost 2026 turnout
Republicans are holding the first-ever GOP midterm convention at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, this week. President Trump is scheduled to speak on both Wednesday and Thursday nights and deliver the keynote address on the first night, with Vice President JD Vance headlining the second night. Organizers say the event will focus on lowering costs, boosting incomes, securing the border, and protecting American values.
Two sources · Thin corroboration
The Republican Party's first midterm convention, held at the American Airlines Center in downtown Dallas, brings together President Trump, party leaders, and a roster of speakers including Attorney General Todd Blanche, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, HUD Secretary Scott Turner, former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, and Donald Trump Jr. Senate Majority Leader John Thune is absent from the official speaker list, though a source told Fox News Digital he would be in Dallas with a fundraising schedule for Senate candidates.
The convention is an unconventional approach to midterm politics — such large party gatherings have traditionally been reserved for presidential election years. Trump floated the idea roughly a year ago, according to Fox News, and subsequently described it as "a truly Historic Event" and "a RALLY like none other." RNC Chair Joe Gruters said the event offers Republicans "a chance to defy history and win the midterms," while DNC Chair Ken Martin predicted at the party's summer meeting that "Democrats are going to win back power."
Republicans enter the convention facing a set of structural and political challenges. As the party currently holding the White House and congressional majorities, the GOP confronts the historical pattern of midterm seat losses. Fox News reported that three out of four voters in a recent Fox News national poll said inflation had caused them financial hardship, and 54% expected the economy to worsen. High gas prices linked to an ongoing conflict with Iran and Trump's negative approval ratings add to the headwinds, according to Fox News.