DALLAS – Republicans are gathering in Dallas this week for an unconventional midterm convention designed to energize the party’s voters, spotlight its candidates and keep President Donald Trump at the center of the 2026 campaign.
Dubbed a “Trump-a-Palooza” by Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters, the two-day event will feature Trump speaking both nights, alongside Republican congressional leaders, Cabinet officials and candidates competing in some of the country’s most closely watched races.
The gathering represents a strategic effort to harness Trump’s enduring influence with Republican voters as the party works to maintain its congressional majority. Although some candidates are skipping the convention because of scheduling conflicts or concerns about attendance costs, more than 100 Republican lawmakers and candidates are expected to attend, including many of those running in the most competitive districts.
Trump will deliver the keynote address Wednesday evening and return Thursday to close the event after Vice President JD Vance speaks. He had initially been scheduled for only one appearance, but organizers expanded his role, underscoring the president’s importance to the party’s midterm strategy.
The program includes roughly 12 hours of speeches and presentations from more than 100 participants. Organizers say the event will highlight Republican priorities including tax cuts, border security, allegations of government fraud and a proposal to prohibit members of Congress from trading stocks.
The lineup also includes Attorney General Todd Blanche, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Donald Trump Jr. and Republican congressional leaders. Senate candidates Mike Rogers of Michigan and Michael Whatley of North Carolina are also scheduled to address attendees.
Republican leaders argue that the event gives candidates a valuable opportunity to connect with donors, national media and the party’s energized base. For candidates seeking to turn out Trump supporters in districts where the president is not on the ballot, an appearance alongside Trump could provide a major boost.
Matt Beynon, a spokesperson for Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry, said the convention was an opportunity for candidates to gain exposure and speak directly to the press. Perry won his district by roughly one percentage point in 2024, when Trump was on the ballot.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said some Republican lawmakers would remain in their home districts to campaign, but he predicted that the party would still “parade our stars across the stage.”
The event is structured as a fundraiser and rally rather than a traditional presidential nominating convention. Attendance packages reportedly range from $1,000 to $25,000, depending on the organization distributing the tickets and whether lodging is included. Some Republicans have cited those costs, as well as family or district obligations, in explaining their absence.
Democrats are using the convention to criticize Republicans. GOP organizers, however, are betting that a high-profile showcase of Trump, the administration and the party’s candidates will generate enthusiasm and sharpen the contrast with what they describe as the Democratic Party’s increasingly left-wing agenda.
With Trump delivering two major addresses and a broad Republican lineup joining him, Dallas is set to become a national stage for the party’s campaign to carry his agenda-and his voters-into the midterm elections.
PHOTO- President Donald Trump boards Air Force One at Morristown Airport, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026, in Morristown, N.J. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
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