By Lucretia Hughes
HARTWELL, Ga. — Republicans gathered in Dallas for an unprecedented national midterm convention Wednesday, placing President Donald Trump and his America First agenda at the center of the party’s fight to maintain control of Congress in November.
The two-day event at the American Airlines Center combines the atmosphere of a presidential convention with the urgency of a national campaign rally. There is no presidential nomination to accept and no new party platform to approve. The objective is to energize Republican voters, raise money and promote GOP candidates before the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
Trump received roaring applause as he entered the arena and welcomed supporters to what he called the first midterm convention held by any political party.
He urged Republicans to vote as though he were personally on the ballot and asked Americans to allow his administration to “finish the job.”
All 435 voting seats in the House of Representatives and 35 Senate seats will be decided in November. Republicans hold only a narrow House majority and a 53-47 advantage in the Senate, meaning even a small movement toward Democrats could change control of Congress.
The stakes extend beyond individual candidates.
If Democrats capture either chamber, they would gain the power to block Republican legislation, control congressional committees, launch investigations and potentially pursue impeachment proceedings against members of the Trump administration.
Republicans are hoping the Dallas convention will help overcome a familiar midterm problem: Voters who enthusiastically support a president do not always participate when the president’s name is absent from the ballot.
Trump is attempting to change that.
The president told supporters that the policies enacted during the first two years of his second term remain vulnerable unless Republicans maintain congressional majorities. He highlighted immigration enforcement, tax relief, public safety and his administration’s efforts to reduce federal regulations.
The convention floor resembled a traditional presidential nominating event. Delegates sat beneath signs identifying their states, supporters waved American flags and red, white, blue and gold balloons hung above the arena.
Signs throughout the venue declared, “Republicans Are Fixing Democrats’ Mess,” while speakers repeatedly invoked the “fight, fight, fight” slogan associated with Trump’s 2024 campaign.
Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters opened the convention by describing the GOP as the party of “faith, family, community and country.” He said Republicans are offering freedom, opportunity, security and common sense while Democrats move further toward socialism. Associated Press
Members of Trump’s Cabinet, congressional leaders and candidates used their appearances to build the party’s case for November.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent promoted the administration’s tax policies and Trump Accounts, which allow tax-advantaged savings accounts to be established for children. Babies born between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2028, are eligible for $1,000 in federal seed money.
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner praised the administration’s elimination of federal diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Attorney General Todd Blanche focused on crime, immigration enforcement and what Republicans describe as the restoration of law and order.
Rep. Brandon Gill of Texas, the youngest Republican serving in Congress, presented the election as a contest between the political mainstream and the extreme. Gill accused the left of treating patriotism and support for America’s heritage as forms of prejudice.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Majority Whip Tom Emmer warned that a Democratic majority would attempt to dismantle Trump’s policies and use congressional power against his administration.
The convention also highlighted the case of Laken Riley, the 22-year-old Georgia nursing student killed in 2024 by a Venezuelan man who entered the country illegally. Riley’s family appeared in a video before Rep. Mike Collins, the Georgia Republican who introduced the Laken Riley Act, addressed the crowd.
One of the evening’s most unexpected moments came from Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania.
Fetterman appeared by video and praised Republican Sen. Dave McCormick, describing him as a friend and a strong senator. Fetterman identified himself as a common-sense Democrat and said he was willing to work with Trump and Republicans to protect American steel and manufacturing.
Fetterman has said he is not changing parties, but his appearance demonstrated the growing divide between traditional working-class Democrats and the progressive wing of his party. Reuters
Democrats organized competing events in Dallas, arguing that the convention was focused too heavily on Trump. Democratic leaders said they would campaign on health care, the economy, rising household expenses and oversight of the administration.
Republicans face their own challenges. Some GOP candidates in competitive states and districts remained home to campaign instead of attending the convention. Those candidates included New Hampshire Senate nominee John Sununu and Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Dan Sullivan of Alaska.
That is not necessarily evidence of division. Candidates must understand their own states and districts. The message that excites voters in Texas may not be the message that wins an independent voter in New Hampshire or Maine.
The convention continues Thursday with an address from Vice President JD Vance and closing remarks from Trump. C-SPAN
This gathering is both a celebration of what Republicans believe they have accomplished and a warning against complacency.
Enthusiasm inside an arena is important, but applause does not win elections. Republicans must turn that enthusiasm into registered voters, early ballots and Election Day turnout.
The Dallas convention gives the GOP a national stage. What the party does with that momentum will determine whether Trump has a Republican Congress for the final two years of his presidency.
Original article
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