The first-ever midterm convention of the Republican Party is taking place on September 9-10 in Dallas, Texas. Ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, the party is expected to focus on delivering messages to rally support in key battleground areas.
This convention, planned by President Donald Trump, is being held at the American Airlines Center in downtown Dallas. Trump will serve as a key speaker, delivering the keynote address on the first day and closing remarks on the second day.
Within the Republican Party, there are calls to highlight the party's achievements in governance while avoiding turning the convention into a personal political event for Trump. Politico reported on September 8 that there are concerns the event could devolve into a 'Trumpapalooza.'
The Republican Party aims to emphasize the Democrats' recent victories by progressive and socialist candidates in their primaries, portraying the party as 'radical.' They plan to contrast this with their own policies on border control and tax cuts, which they present as 'common-sense and practical solutions.'
Riley Moore, a Republican congressman from West Virginia, described the convention as a platform to present a 'battle between communism and common sense,' stressing the need to clearly show voters what is at stake in the upcoming midterm elections.
This comes amid a challenging political environment for Trump and the Republican Party, with the president's approval ratings struggling and the political landscape in key battlegrounds shifting. Voters are expressing dissatisfaction not only with issues like war with Iran and immigration policy but also with rising costs of living, including tariffs, gas prices, and housing expenses.
On the other hand, Democrats are leveraging anti-Trump sentiment to regain support, aiming to attract independent voters dissatisfied with the Trump administration's policies in hopes of reclaiming control of Congress.
Currently, the Republican Party holds a slim majority in both the House and Senate. However, recent polls suggest that the Democrats have a strong chance of regaining the House, and the Senate is also shaping up to be a competitive battleground for Republicans.
Democrats are expanding their campaign efforts into traditionally competitive states like Georgia and Republican strongholds such as North Carolina, Iowa, Texas, Ohio, and Alaska.
NPR has reported that Democratic candidates are raising more campaign funds than their Republican counterparts in key battlegrounds, indicating that the outcome of the midterm elections will ultimately hinge on 'messaging and money.'
The Republican Party is also expected to mobilize significant campaign funds. NPR noted that the Republican National Committee and Trump's supporting super PAC, MAGA, have secured hundreds of millions of dollars for a large-scale advertising campaign. MAGA recently committed $10 million to support Texas Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton.
Additionally, the convention plans to raise more campaign funds to widen the gap with Democrats. According to Fox News, the event includes opportunities for donors to take photos with President Trump at a private roundtable in exchange for contributions exceeding $88,000.
Meanwhile, key officials from the Trump administration are set to attend the convention, including Attorney General Todd Blanchard, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner, former White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt, and Donald Trump Jr., who is popular among MAGA supporters.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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