Trump to headline Republican midterm convention in Dallas amid mixed party attendance
The Republican Party is holding a two-day midterm convention in Dallas, featuring a keynote by Donald Trump, while several moderate senators skip the event and Democrats criticize the gathering.
Republicans began a two-day midterm convention in Dallas, with President Donald Trump delivering the keynote address on Thursday night and a closing speech the following evening. The event, staged at the American Airlines Arena, is intended to rally support for GOP candidates in closely contested Senate and House races across states such as Texas, Michigan and North Carolina.
Trump told reporters before departing for Texas that he expects the conflict with Iran to end "immediately after" the November midterms, acknowledging that lower fuel prices may not be seen until later. He has framed the war’s impact on gasoline costs as a temporary issue.
The convention’s atmosphere combined elements of a traditional party convention with a smaller, CPAC-style gathering, featuring large crowds of supporters, political merchandise vendors and a video appearance by Democratic Senator John Fetterman endorsing a Republican Senate candidate in Pennsylvania.
Several moderate Republican senators, including Susan Collins of Maine and Dan Sullivan of Alaska, did not attend, a move interpreted as distancing from the Trump-focused event ahead of the elections.
Democratic Governor JB Pritzker of Illinois visited Dallas to campaign for Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico, criticizing the convention as a distraction from economic concerns such as grocery prices, healthcare and housing costs.
Supporters at the arena displayed typical MAGA slogans and apparel, while some expressed worries that high fuel and food prices could hurt Republican prospects in the upcoming midterms.