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Republicans returned to American Airlines Center in Dallas on Thursday, Sept. 10, for the second and final day of the 2026 Republican Midterm Convention, with Vice President JD Vance delivering the night’s keynote address and President Donald Trump delivering the convention’s closing remarks.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom.
The Republican Party’s first-ever midterm convention returned Thursday, Sept. 10, for its second and final day in Dallas, with a lineup that featured Vice President JD Vance, President Donald Trump, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Sen. Ted Cruz and other Republican officials and congressional candidates ahead of November’s midterm elections.
Live coverage of Day Two began at 3 p.m. ET, or 2 p.m. Central, from American Airlines Center.
Thursday’s program began with Dallas-area Republican organizer Heather Washburne and First Baptist Dallas Senior Pastor Robert Jeffress among the early speakers. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick was scheduled to close the 3 p.m. Central hour.
The following hour featured Republican congressional candidates Eric Flores and Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina, both of whom were running in competitive South Texas districts. Sen. Ted Cruz was scheduled to close that portion of the program.
Abbott addressed the convention during the 5 p.m. Central hour, which also included a tribute to Charlie Kirk on the first anniversary of the Turning Point USA founder’s assassination at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025.
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, a former Democrat who joined the Republican Party, appeared during the 7 p.m. hour before the convention moved toward its nationally featured closing addresses from Vance and Trump.
Vance’s speech placed the vice president in a leading role on the convention’s final night after Trump had delivered a nearly two-hour address Wednesday to close Day One. Trump returned after Vance on Thursday to deliver the convention’s closing remarks.
The two-day Dallas convention marked an unusual addition to the political calendar. National parties traditionally held large conventions during presidential-election years to nominate their presidential and vice-presidential candidates. The Republican National Committee instead organized the Sept. 9-10 gathering specifically around the 2026 midterms, bringing national officials, candidates and party supporters together less than two months before Election Day.
Day One placed Trump at the center of the Republican midterm message. During his Wednesday night address, the president urged supporters to approach November’s elections as though he personally were on the ballot.
“I’m asking you to pretend that I’m on the ballot,” Trump told the crowd.
Trump also unveiled a proposal for what he called a “Trump Dividend,” saying American adults would receive $5,000 if Republicans retained control of Congress.
“If the Republicans win, you win with us and you get $5,000,” Trump said. “It will be called the Trump Dividend.”
The proposal immediately became one of the most closely watched announcements from the convention. Details about how such payments would be financed or implemented were not provided during Trump’s speech, and congressional action would likely have been required. Vance subsequently suggested tariff revenue could be used to help finance the proposal.
Wednesday’s program also featured Republican candidates and officeholders who focused on the economy, immigration, public safety and cultural issues while contrasting their positions with Democratic candidates.
One unexpected moment came when Democratic Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman appeared in a prerecorded video introducing Republican Sen. Dave McCormick, whom he described as a friend. Fetterman said he would “reject the extremes in socialism” while emphasizing areas in which the two Pennsylvania senators had worked together.
Thursday’s program shifted much of the convention’s focus toward Texas political leaders and candidates before the nationally televised closing sequence.
The final day also fell on a significant anniversary for the conservative movement. Kirk was remembered during the evening program exactly one year after he was fatally shot while speaking at Utah Valley University. Turning Point USA had continued expanding its political and campus operations since Kirk’s death.
The Republican convention was designed in part to energize voters who had supported Trump in the 2024 presidential election but might have been less likely to participate in a midterm election when he was not personally on the ballot. Republicans were defending control of both chambers of Congress in November.
Thursday’s final night gave Vance and Trump another opportunity to make the party’s case directly to voters, with Vance serving as the featured keynote speaker before Trump delivered the convention’s final remarks.
Day Two of the 2026 Republican Midterm Convention aired live Thursday from Dallas, with coverage beginning at 3 p.m. ET and the principal evening speeches culminating with Vance and Trump.
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