Republican Senate contenders in several closely watched states are splitting over whether to join President Donald Trump at the GOP’s unusual two-day Dallas convention or remain home campaigning as the fight for Senate control intensifies.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom.
Republican Senate candidates facing competitive November races are taking sharply different approaches to this week’s midterm convention in Dallas, with some embracing the chance to appear alongside President Donald Trump while others are staying in their states to focus on local campaigning.
The two-day gathering begins Wednesday at the American Airlines Center and is intended to recreate some of the energy and visibility of a presidential nominating convention during a midterm year. Trump is scheduled to speak both nights, while Vice President JD Vance and dozens of Republican officials and candidates are also expected to appear, according to The New York Times. AP and Reuters have described the event as an unusual effort by Republicans to mobilize voters around Trump’s record even though he is not on the ballot.
The convention comes as control of the Senate has become increasingly competitive. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority, counting the two independents who caucus with Democrats on the Democratic side, leaving Democrats needing a net gain of four seats to control the chamber.
Among the Republican Senate candidates scheduled to appear in Dallas is Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is running against Democratic state Rep. James Talarico.
Paxton defeated four-term Sen. John Cornyn in the Republican primary runoff after receiving Trump’s endorsement. Trump’s political operation has since committed at least $10 million to support Paxton’s campaign and oppose Talarico, underscoring the national attention surrounding a Texas race that Republicans once viewed as considerably safer.
Former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley is also scheduled to speak. Whatley is competing for North Carolina’s open Senate seat against former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper.
Ohio Sen. Jon Husted, who was appointed to the seat vacated when Vance became vice president, plans to address the convention as he campaigns for a full term against former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown.
Rep. Mike Collins of Georgia is another scheduled speaker. Collins, who received Trump’s endorsement during the Republican primary, is challenging Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff.
Former Rep. Mike Rogers, the Republican nominee for Michigan’s open Senate seat, is also expected to appear. Rogers is running against Democrat Abdul El-Sayed after narrowly losing Michigan’s 2024 Senate election.
Other Republicans facing closely watched races have decided the better use of their time is campaigning at home.
Sen. Susan Collins of Maine plans to remain in her state rather than travel to Dallas. Collins is seeking another term against Democrat Troy Jackson in a state won by former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.
Former Sen. John E. Sununu, who is attempting a return to the Senate from New Hampshire, is also not expected to attend. His campaign cited the timing of Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary, which comes immediately before the convention begins.
Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan is likewise expected to remain home as he campaigns against former Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola.
“Senator Sullivan is spending this week campaigning across Alaska,” spokesman Nate Adams said. “The Senator looks forward to welcoming President Trump to the state ahead of the November election.”
Sullivan had previously been expected to attend, making his decision a change from earlier plans.
Rep. Ashley Hinson of Iowa, who is running for Senate against Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek, has not publicly confirmed whether she will participate. She was not included among the convention’s publicly announced speakers.
The different choices reflect the competing demands facing Republican candidates in an election in which Trump remains the party’s dominant national figure but individual Senate contests are being fought under very different political conditions.
For candidates appearing in Dallas, the convention provides national exposure, access to Republican donors and a direct opportunity to appeal to voters who supported Trump in 2024. For those remaining at home, several campaigns are emphasizing direct contact with voters in their own states during the final weeks before Election Day.
Trump has urged Republican candidates to campaign on his administration’s record and has pledged to personally involve himself in many of the races that will determine control of Congress.
Republicans are expected to bring roughly 100 lawmakers and candidates to Dallas, while the convention program includes more than 50 speakers and appearances by administration officials and party leaders.
Trump has said the gathering is intended to generate the kind of enthusiasm normally associated with presidential-election conventions.
“The conventions have been great, and a lot of good things happen,” Trump said recently. “And it brings unity.”
The varied attendance decisions among Senate candidates, however, illustrate how that national strategy is being adapted race by race, with some Republicans seeking maximum visibility beside Trump and others deciding that the final stretch of campaigning is better spent at home.
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