DALLAS, Texas – U.S. President Donald Trump gave the keynote speech on the first night of the Republican midterm convention, putting himself at the center of November’s vote despite not appearing on the ballot.
Wednesday’s first-of-its-kind event comes as Republicans face difficult midterm elections to maintain their House and Senate majorities. A loss in either chamber would significantly curtail President Trump’s power.
Recommended stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
“When I’m in the race, the Republican Party always does very well,” Trump told a friendly crowd at the American Airlines Center. “But for some reason, when a president wins, even if he’s a really good or great president, he doesn’t win midterm elections.”
“We’re going to change that,” he said. “So I want you to pretend I’m on the ballot.”
Vice President J.D. Vance was originally scheduled to headline the opening night of the convention, which is usually only held during presidential campaigns. The reason for the last-minute change was not disclosed. The competition was scheduled to continue into the second night Thursday.
The key points are:
President Trump promises blitzkrieg campaign
President Trump’s decision to call a midterm convention and put himself at the center of the midterm elections is seen as a political gamble, especially as his approval ratings have declined amid the U.S.-Israel war against Iran.
But President Trump promised Wednesday that he will be the main attraction in the final stages of the campaign, whether Republican candidates like it or not.
He listed about 35 of the most competitive races.
“We can win every race,” he said. “But I’m going to go to all those states for representatives and senators.”
“We are going to hold a rally like this.”
This may not be welcome news for all candidates in close races, including several who chose to campaign in their own districts rather than attend the Dallas convention.
Some political observers have warned that a too-tight embrace with President Trump could backfire, mobilizing Democrats already in large numbers during the primary campaign.
Mr. Trump went even further, promising a $5,000 “dividend” to every adult citizen if Republicans retain a majority in both chambers. It is unclear whether the president can legally justify this claim.
President Trump welcomes war with Iran despite political implications
The war against Iran, which President Trump launched alongside Israel on February 28, has become a major political liability in the run-up to the midterm elections.
On Wednesday, Brent crude oil prices exceeded $100 a barrel for the first time in July, pushing the war into its seventh month. Opinion polls suggest widespread disapproval of the war and its economic ramifications.
None of the speakers before Trump brought up the conflict, and it was featured only in a short video montage on official programs.
But President Trump has pivoted to war, saying the United States has “won” and is in control of the Strait of Hormuz, even as the Iranian government continues to restrict traffic through the main waterway.
He reiterated his desire to rename the strait, through which one-fifth of the world’s maritime oil trade passed before the war, Trump Strait.
President Trump also hinted at further escalation, including a possible attack on Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain nuclear facility.
Embattled Republicans take to the pitch
J. Matthew Wilson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University, said midterm conventions are an opportunity to introduce Republican candidates to big donors.
“Texas is a big center for Republican campaign money,” he said. “It’s really a fundraising hub for the Republican Party.”
On Wednesday, a number of Republicans in close races took to the stage, including current Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is trailing Democratic challenger James Talarico in polls.
If Talarico wins, it will be the first time a Democrat has won a statewide office in Texas since 1994.
“He’s the most radical Democrat in Texas history, but he’s also the best-funded. That’s why we need your prayers, your votes, and your support today,” Paxton said, referring to Talarico, a Presbyterian seminarian.
“If we lose Texas, we lose the common sense revolution. If we lose the common sense revolution, we lose America,” he said.
Mr. Trump took particular time to focus on Mr. Paxton.
President Trump praised Paxton, calling him “the greatest attorney general in America,” but said, “I may not dress right, I may not speak perfectly, I may not be the best-looking person I’ve ever seen.”
Other candidates featured Wednesday include Republican Monica de la Cruz, who faces a tough Democratic challenge from musician Bobby Pulido to represent a border district in Texas, Sen. Jon Husted, who is running against former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, and Republican Mike Collins, who is aiming to unseat Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in Georgia.
Pro-Israel Democrat John Fetterman also made a surprise video appearance to introduce Republican Sen. Dave McCormick. Neither Fetterman nor McCormick are running for re-election in November.
“Mainstream and extreme”
Wednesday’s show emphasized that the Republican message will likely determine the final stages of the midterm elections.
Speakers repeatedly praised President Trump’s immigration policies, which effectively closed the southern border alongside mass deportations.
Speakers also focused on tax cuts and other provisions of Trump’s signature tax bill, the One Big Beautiful Act, passed last year.
But this rhetoric largely coalesces around the leftward shift seen during the Democratic primary, exemplified by the victories of candidates such as Michigan progressive Abdul El-Sayed and several candidates affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).
Throughout the night, chairmen framed the election as a referendum on “radicals,” “socialists,” and “communists.” Currently, there are no candidates in either party who identify as communists.
Republican Rep. Brandon Gill called the vote “mainstream versus extreme.”
He specifically mentioned New York candidates Daliaza Avila Chevalier and Claire Valdez, who are aligned with DSA. He said Talarico “hollows out your deepest Christian beliefs and wears them like a skin suit.”
He also condemned El-Sayed’s support by streaming personality Hasan Piker, who was repeatedly mentioned throughout the night in past comments related to the September 11, 2001 attacks. Piker claimed the comments were taken out of context.
“We have another political movement in our country right now that doesn’t believe that America is or ever was great,” he said. “They sometimes call themselves socialists. Some even call themselves communists. But most of them just call themselves Democrats.”
It’s an uphill battle, especially in Texas.
The evening’s program resembled a Trump rally more than a party convention, with several of President Trump’s most prominent appointees taking to the stage, including Attorney General Todd Blanche and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Many in attendance said they wholeheartedly believed President Trump’s message.
“I feel like we were almost laughed at before, but he stood up and made us a bigger force in the world,” said Maria Garcia, a 57-year-old supporter who traveled from Boise, Idaho, to Texas for the rally.
“I hope this motivates people to get out and vote instead of sitting at home and doing nothing,” she said.
But despite Wednesday’s glowing praise for the president, a troubling reality remained for Republicans, analysts said.
On Monday, the bipartisan Decision Desk Headquarters Political Forecast changed its prediction for control of the Senate to a “pure toss-up.” There remains wide support for Democrats to control the House of Representatives.
That reality is particularly stark in Texas, said Evan Ross Smith, a founding partner at Slingshot Strategies, which conducts extensive polling in the state.
Despite President Trump endorsing Paxton in May, polls consistently show Talarico ahead of Paxton. That means President Trump’s influence on candidates is likely to be limited, he predicted.
“We see Paxton now pulling ahead within the margin of error,” he told Al Jazeera.
“Our polls, and other polls to come, show Mr. Talarico getting closer and closer to 50%. This means he has a more durable advantage.”
