GOP debuts midterm convention to motivate base
The novel event will feature Republican candidates and speeches from both the president and vice president.
In a major first, the Republican National Committee (RNC) is hosting a convention ahead of November’s midterms, to be headlined by President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. The event is set to take place Sept. 9 and 10 in Dallas and will emphasize the Trump administration’s victories over the past nearly-two years.
“Over two action-packed days, we will take Americans through the defining issues of our Party’s agenda and what is at stake in November,” RNC Chairman Joe Gruters said. “Each hour will have its own theme, its own message, and its own voices, building toward President Donald Trump’s vision for the next chapter of American greatness. This will be unlike any political convention America has seen before.”
The convention will feature a candidate showcase and several keynote speeches. Vance is scheduled to deliver the first night’s closing address while Trump will close out the second night, although the Ppresident is expected to be present both days. Nearly 110 speakers are scheduled to speak over the two days.
The RNC intends to tout Trump administration wins and GOP policies in order to draw a clear contrast against Democratic candidates and motivate Republican voters. Topics to be discussed include immigration, fraud, tax breaks, education and school choice, transgenderism and sports, and healthcare.
In particular, the RNC plans to highlight the Trump administration’s success securing the border, investigating and prosecuting rampant fraud, bringing down prescription drug prices, and delivering tax breaks in the One Big Beautiful Bill. Republican leaders also intend to press for increased election security, including passage of the SAVE America Act.
“The message is simple: Americans want strong borders and sound immigration policies, not sanctuary cities and the unspeakable crimes that comes with them,” the RNC said in a statement. “They want to continue to reap the profound benefits from the One Big Beautiful Bill: no tax on tips, new pathways to retirement savings, and a vibrant economy that lifts all boats. Parents want a common-sense approach to education, youth sports and school choice – not a liberal lecture on transgender rights and those who think boys should be allowed to play in girls athletics.”
RNC leadership intends to “hammer” the fact that self-described socialists have rapidly arisen in the Democratic Party, advancing in primaries against longtime incumbents. Gruters addressed the issue in a NewsNation interview on Sunday, saying that the average voter is “scared” of the progressive Democratic Socialists climbing to power in the Democratic Party.
“I think that people know that common sense and the hope that you can achieve the American dream is 1,000 times better than the misery and despair in the direction that the Democrats wanna take us with these socialist-type policies and having tens of millions of noncitizens flood our borders without any type of merit-based-type system,” he said. “It’s very clear.”
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While the convention is expected to generate plenty of cash — with the cost of “delegate” tickets reportedly reaching up to $20,000 — the GOP is far from strapped for cash. The RNC reportedly closed out July with more than $130 million in campaign funding on hand, while the Trump-aligned political action committee (PAC) MAGA, Inc. is sitting on more than $400 million, a larger war chest than both the Republican and Democratic Parties have combined.
A June ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court also opened the door for unlimited election spending by political parties.
While some Republican-aligned strategists have questioned the wisdom or benefit of the convention, others have suggested that attaching Trump’s name and presence to Republican candidates will help bolster the GOP in a year when the President’s name will not appear at the top of the ballot.
“What is always the biggest issue when Trump is not on the ballot? Voters don’t show up,” observed an unnamed Republican legislator cited by CNN. “So what’s [Trump] trying to do? Motivate the base to come out.”
Gruters also suggested that Republican voters’ anger with incumbent Republican legislators — especially on issues like the SAVE America Act, which has been stalled in the Senate for months — could be channeled into a midterm victory.
“A lot of Republicans are upset that some members of our Senate caucus won’t pass the SAVE America Act. They expect things to happen when we have the majorities, and it should happen,” he said. “And my response to all those people I talked to on the base is: ‘Don’t give up hope’ because we have the MAGA warriors in place as our nominees, that when we come back in November, we will have the votes to pass it, and we’ll be able to move forward.”
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