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President Donald Trump will headline both nights of the Republican Party’s first midterm convention in Dallas as his MAGA Inc. super PAC launches a $10 million advertising push supporting Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
President Donald Trump will command the spotlight on both nights of the Republican Party’s midterm convention in Dallas this week, delivering Wednesday’s keynote address and returning Thursday for the closing remarks as Republicans intensify their push to retain control of Congress in November.
Vice President JD Vance will headline the second night of the two-day gathering, which begins Wednesday, Sept. 9, and brings together senior administration officials, congressional leaders, governors and candidates from some of the country’s closely watched House and Senate contests.
The Republican National Committee announced the expanded speaker lineup Saturday as Trump’s political operation simultaneously made its first major financial move of the fall campaign.
MAGA Inc., the super PAC aligned with Trump, filed plans Saturday to spend $10 million on advertising in Texas to support Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton’s U.S. Senate campaign against Democratic state Rep. James Talarico.
The spending is divided evenly: $5 million for advertisements supporting Paxton and another $5 million for advertisements opposing Talarico.
The money is being spent independently through political media operations rather than transferred directly to Paxton’s campaign.
Paxton will also speak at the Dallas convention, putting the Texas Senate race squarely inside a national Republican gathering built around Trump and his political coalition.
The president endorsed Paxton in the Republican Senate contest and is now deploying substantial super PAC resources on his behalf as the general election approaches.
The $10 million commitment is MAGA Inc.’s first major expenditure of the fall midterm campaign.
Trump said Friday that he intends to spend between $400 million and $500 million from the super PAC’s political resources to help Republicans in the midterms.
The Texas investment therefore provides an early indication of where part of that money will be directed.
Republicans currently hold a 53-47 Senate advantage, making control of the chamber one of the central stakes in November.
The Dallas convention is similarly designed to focus Republican attention on congressional races at a point when Trump himself is not on the ballot.
Trump will give the principal address Wednesday night before returning Thursday after Vance’s keynote to deliver the convention’s final remarks.
The arrangement places the president at both the opening and conclusion of the event while giving Vance a prominent second-night platform.
RNC Chairman Joe Gruters framed the election as a contest over economic policy, immigration, public safety and the role of government.
“This election comes down to one simple choice: lower costs, lower taxes, secure borders, and common sense versus higher taxes, wide open borders, and the radical liberal agenda the Democrat Party has fully embraced,” Gruters said. “Republicans are the party of hardworking, patriotic Americans who believe in a fair day’s pay, safe streets, secure borders, and a government that gets out of our way and lets Americans win again.”
The announced keynote roster also includes several of the Trump administration’s most recognizable officials.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Attorney General Todd Blanche, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner are scheduled to address the convention.
Karoline Leavitt and Donald Trump Jr. are also among the keynote speakers.
The congressional leadership lineup includes House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Tim Scott, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer.
House Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain, National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Richard Hudson and Gruters will also speak.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune is not included on the announced speaking roster.
His omission comes after disagreements with Trump over the pace and strategy for moving several administration-backed legislative priorities, including the SAVE America Act.
Trump pressed Thune this summer to keep the Senate in Washington rather than beginning its August recess until lawmakers passed the election legislation.
Thune argued that remaining in session would not change the vote count needed to advance it.
The Senate had previously debated the measure in March, with Thune himself publicly supporting its proof-of-citizenship and voter-identification provisions.
Although Thune is absent from the current speaker list, earlier reports indicated he planned to attend the Dallas convention.
Texas Republicans will have a particularly visible role because the gathering is being held in Dallas and because of the increasingly important Senate contest.
Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Sen. Ted Cruz and Paxton are all scheduled to speak.
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson is also on the program.
Other senators scheduled to appear include Ohio Sen. Jon Husted and Pennsylvania Sen. Dave McCormick.
The House delegation includes lawmakers from a broad range of districts, several of whom are running in competitive races.
Rep. Rob Bresnahan of Pennsylvania, Rep. Monica De La Cruz of Texas, Rep. Brandon Gill of Texas, Rep. Brian Jack of Georgia, Rep. Mike Lawler of New York, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, Rep. Ryan Mackenzie of Pennsylvania, Rep. Jason Smith of Missouri and Rep. Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin are listed among the speakers.
Several sitting House members seeking different offices will also take the stage.
Georgia Rep. Mike Collins is running for the U.S. Senate.
Florida Rep. Byron Donalds is running for governor.
Their inclusion reflects the convention’s broader function as both a national party gathering and a campaign showcase less than two months before Election Day.
The RNC is also providing speaking slots to Republican candidates running in House and Senate races across the country.
The complete announced lineup includes:
Keynote Speakers
President Donald J. Trump — Night One Keynote Address and Night Two Closing Remarks
Vice President JD Vance — Night Two Keynote Address
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent
Attorney General Todd Blanche
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner
Karoline Leavitt
Donald Trump Jr.
Republican Leadership
House Speaker Mike Johnson
Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso
Sen. Tim Scott — National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer
House Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain
National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Richard Hudson
Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters
Elected Officials
Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas
Sen. Jon Husted of Ohio
Sen. Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton — Candidate for U.S. Senate
Rep. Rob Bresnahan of Pennsylvania
Rep. Mike Collins of Georgia — Candidate for U.S. Senate
Rep. Monica De La Cruz of Texas
Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida — Candidate for Governor
Rep. Brandon Gill of Texas
Rep. Brian Jack of Georgia
Rep. Mike Lawler of New York
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida
Rep. Ryan Mackenzie of Pennsylvania
Rep. Jason Smith of Missouri
Rep. Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson
Candidates
Capt. Mike Bouchard Jr. — Candidate for U.S. House in Michigan’s 10th District
Laurie Buckhout — Candidate for U.S. House in North Carolina’s 1st District
Greg Cunningham — Candidate for U.S. House in New Mexico’s 2nd District
Jay Feely — Candidate for U.S. House in Arizona’s 1st District
Eric Flores — Candidate for U.S. House in Texas’ 34th District
Carlos De La Cruz — Candidate for U.S. House in Texas’ 35th District
Mike LiPetri — Candidate for U.S. House in New York’s 3rd District
Derek Merrin — Candidate for U.S. House in Ohio’s 9th District
Marty O’Donnell — Candidate for U.S. House in Nevada’s 3rd District
Mike Rogers — Candidate for U.S. Senate in Michigan
Tano Tijerina — Candidate for U.S. House in Texas’ 28th District
Michael Whatley — Candidate for U.S. Senate in North Carolina
The lineup gives the convention a dual purpose: promoting the administration’s record while placing congressional candidates alongside Trump and senior Republican officials ahead of the midterms.
The decision to feature Trump twice is particularly notable for an event organized around an election in which the president is not personally seeking office.
Republicans are attempting to carry the voter coalition that elected Trump into a midterm environment, where presidential supporters historically can be more difficult to mobilize when the president’s name is absent from the ballot.
Trump has said he intends to campaign extensively for Republican candidates during the final stretch.
His political organization is now beginning to pair those appearances with substantial financial investments.
Texas is the first major example.
MAGA Inc.’s $10 million commitment will finance television and digital advertising supporting Paxton and attacking Talarico.
The scale of the investment underscores the national attention surrounding a Senate seat Republicans have held for decades.
Paxton defeated incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the Republican primary and now faces Talarico in November.
The Dallas convention gives Paxton another prominent platform just as Trump’s super PAC begins its advertising campaign on his behalf.
Trump’s involvement therefore reaches both sides of the campaign operation: he will personally headline the national party convention in Paxton’s home state while his super PAC commits millions of dollars to the Senate contest.
Vance’s placement as Thursday’s keynote speaker also gives the vice president one of the convention’s highest-profile roles.
He will address Republicans immediately before Trump returns to close the gathering.
The rest of the program combines administration officials, congressional leadership, established elected officials and candidates attempting to win new seats.
For Republicans, the gathering comes with control of both chambers of Congress at stake and the second half of Trump’s term dependent in part on the makeup of the House and Senate after November.
The convention opens Wednesday with Trump at center stage.
Twenty-four hours later, after Vance delivers the second-night keynote, Trump will return to deliver the final words of the party’s first midterm convention — while his political operation begins putting significant money behind the candidates Republicans are counting on to preserve their congressional majorities.
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