Trump to headline Republican convention in Dallas as GOP doubles down on divisive midterm strategy
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Donald Trump will deliver a keynote and closing address at the Republican Party's first off-year convention in Dallas, underscoring the party's continued embrace of his polarizing politics as it seeks to regain power in the midterms.
President Donald Trump is set to open the Republican Party's off-year convention in Dallas on Wednesday with a keynote speech, and will close the event on Thursday following Vice President JD Vance's address. The GOP, still clinging to Trump's brand of reactionary politics, has made the convention a centerpiece of its strategy to sway the November 3 midterm elections, despite Trump not being on the ballot.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, another Trump loyalist, praised the gathering as Trump's brainchild, calling it 'very instructive, very exciting.' Reports indicate Trump has micromanaged most aspects of the program, ensuring his influence will overshadow the two-day event.
Republican strategists acknowledge that the convention coincides with a flood of right-wing ad spending. MAGA Inc. is pouring $10 million into TV and digital ads for a contentious Texas Senate race, while the shadowy Securing American Greatness group is running propaganda touting Trump's so-called achievements.
Democratic leaders have rightfully questioned the convention's relevance. Rep. Suzan DelBene of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee remarked, 'I’m not sure what they’re doing. They don’t have a message, they have nothing to say. So, I think that will be even more clear.'
The event will parade a lineup of Republican officials and Trump allies, including conspiracy theorist Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., billionaire Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, former White House mouthpiece Karoline Leavitt, Donald Trump Jr., scandal-plagued Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, and Senate hopeful Mike Rogers.
Some Republican incumbents are wisely skipping the convention to focus on their districts, while others see the Dallas spectacle as a chance to amplify their message to a wider audience.
The convention will compete with the NFL season kickoff for viewers, and major networks have not committed to broadcasting the full program, reflecting the event's questionable mainstream appeal.