Channeling a western persona, President Donald Trump is heading to Dallas for this week's Republican convention to rescue his party's prospects ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.
The unprecedented gathering begins Wednesday, with Trump aiming to rally his base by transforming the Nov. 3 vote into a direct assessment of his own record. Although his name will not appear on the ballot, he created the event to help GOP candidates.
However, with his approval ratings at record lows, uncertainty remains about whether his presence will energize Republican voters or mobilize the opposition.
The president will dominate the schedule, delivering a keynote speech on Wednesday and returning the next evening to offer final remarks following an address by Vice President JD Vance. The format effectively turns the two-day convention into a showcase centered on Trump, flanked by a lineup that features several of the party's most at-risk legislators.
"If Trump is in the orbit then everything gets swallowed up into a black hole. It’s just unavoidable," said Rick Tyler, a Republican strategist and a critic of the president.
Embracing the theme, the Republican Party is marketing $16 beer cozies online that feature the 80-year-old president styled like the Marlboro Man. The merchandise shows him on horseback wearing a white Stetson, complete with the word "Dallas" placed beneath the trademark red-and-white triangular logo where the brand name usually sits.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, slated to speak at the event, said Trump conceived the convention and predicted it would be "very instructive, very exciting."
"We’ll parade our stars across the stage," he added, echoing the style of the beauty pageants Trump once helped organize.
Networks and NFL ratings threaten to overshadow Trump’s high-stakes Dallas convention
Republicans familiar with the event's organization report that the president maintained direct personal oversight of every detail. Indeed, his command of the schedule was so absolute that anyone seeking logistical details in recent weeks was informed that plans were still pending because Trump had not yet finalized his choices.
Despite all the cowboy imagery throughout the gathering, it remains uncertain whether meaningful reinforcements are truly on the way for struggling campaigns, however.
MAGA Inc., the political organization aligned with the president that possesses a war chest of nearly $400 million, announced a $10 million investment in television and digital advertisements focused on the Texas Senate race. Nevertheless, this marks the first time the group has deployed its large financial reserves in a serious way, even as Republicans nationwide urgently seek major funding to help in tight election battles across the country.
Additionally, an outside group called Securing American Greatness has initiated an ad campaign celebrating the president’s record in the lead-up to the midterms. These gauzy promotional videos focus almost entirely on Trump, giving scarcely any attention to candidates running for Congress.
Furthermore, the main broadcast networks have stopped short of committing to air most of the convention each evening. The scheduled proceedings will also face direct competition from the kickoff of the NFL season, with games likely taking place alongside both of Trump’s primary speeches.
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Democrats are raising doubts about whether the GOP will see a post-convention bounce, with Rep. Suzan DelBene, who leads the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, voicing strong skepticism.
"I’m not sure what they’re doing," said the Washington Democrat. "They don’t have a message, they have nothing to say. So, I think that will be even more clear."
Meanwhile, Trump continues to view his personal presence as the primary driver of electoral victory. Speaking at a South Carolina rally recently, he told attendees: "Pretend, please, that I’m on the ballot."
In doing so, the president is trying to push back against historic midterm trends in which the ruling party typically loses congressional seats, as happened during his first term when Democrats took back the House.
His campaign argument heavily emphasizes past accomplishments, notably administrative measures at the U.S.-Mexico border, tax reductions covering tips, overtime pay, and Social Security for seniors, alongside initiatives to lower prescription drug costs.
Yet Trump has offered little detail on how maintaining Republican majorities in Congress will tackle public anxiety over inflation, a perceived softening economy, the ongoing conflict in Iran, or his own subdued approval figures.
Trump labels Democrats 'communists' as critics warn radical rhetoric turns off moderate voters
Framing progressive political rivals as extreme, the president has attacked Democrats as communists, claiming that candidates who recently won key primaries hold views too radical for a general election.
In a recent post on his social media platform, Trump wrote: "Communism is an INHUMAN ideology that has led to DEATH and DESTRUCTION around the World!"
However, Tyler noted that generic attacks against Democrats and political rallies may not suffice for Republicans preparing for the upcoming midterms. Instead, he explained, the party needs robust voter-turnout initiatives alongside a distinct message.
"Trump can turn out two bases, his base and the Democratic base," Tyler stated. "The problem for him is, when he’s not on the ballot, his base never shows up and they’re unlikely to again."
While several Trump-endorsed candidates secured primary victories, they may face tougher general election contests than the traditional choices he bypassed.
This dynamic is particularly evident in the Texas Senate contest, where a competitive race looms despite Democrats failing to win a statewide election there since 1994, marking the longest streak of statewide losses nationwide.
Following Trump's backing of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton—which drove Paxton to a primary win over veteran Washington lawmaker Sen. John Cornyn despite ongoing controversies—Democrat James Talarico is mounting a challenge for an unexpected victory.
Selecting Dallas as a convention location "definitely sends a signal that they’re scared about Texas," argued Abel Prado. Prado serves as campaign manager for Bobby Pulido, a Democratic congressional candidate and Tejano singer challenging Republican Rep. Monica de la Cruz in the Rio Grande Valley along the Mexican border.
Although Trump earned notable backing from certain Hispanic voters in South Texas during 2024, Prado observed that this momentum has waned. He attributed the decline primarily to recurring immigration enforcement operations that he claims have disrupted the local economy, particularly depressing home construction as workers fear enforcement actions.
"We’re seeing a very real sense of buyer’s remorse," Prado remarked. "Trump always projected this, ‘I am the image of the American Dream.’ But people are starting to realize he only cares about himself."
Vulnerable House Republicans skip Trump’s Dallas convention to campaign at home
Several Republican officeholders and candidates running in competitive House districts are opting to skip the gathering, choosing instead to focus their efforts on local campaigning. Among those staying away is Michigan Rep. Tom Barrett, who represents a crucial battleground territory encompassing Lansing, the state capital.
However, numerous other party members intend to travel to Dallas to join Trump on stage.
"Obviously, you’re out of the district, but it’s a really good opportunity to get in front of people," said Matt Beynon, spokesperson for Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry, whose rapidly expanding central Pennsylvania constituency is a primary target for Democrats.
The speaker lineup features Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and the president’s son, Donald Trump Jr. Additionally, Paxton and Michigan Senate nominee Mike Rogers, who is competing in a closely watched state race, will address the audience.
Event planners have additionally structured programming around ordinary citizens, such as individuals who gained financially from tax reductions.
"It’s going to be very important," Trump told the Lt. Dan Podcast with Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
"And I did it," Trump added. "I just came up with the idea."
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