Republicans are holding their first-ever midterm convention in Dallas this week as they gear up to defend their congressional majorities in November's pivotal general election.
"For the first time EVER, Republicans from all across our Great Country will come together for a Midterm Convention to celebrate our Tremendous Victories and Success, showcase our incredible Candidates, and prepare for the most important Midterm Election in History," President Trump wrote on Truth Social in mid-August.
Typically, every four years, both parties hold massive, lavish conventions in the lead-up to presidential elections, but such events are rare during a midterm cycle. Democrats held so-called mini-conventions in the 1970s and '80s but those were focused heavily on internal policy and party matters.
This week's event, which has been informally dubbed "Trumpapalooza," is designed to be a "primetime showcase for President Trump's success, candidates, and causes that have propelled the 2026 midterms to unprecedented focus," Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Joe Gruters wrote in a press release last month.
With less than two months to go until the midterms, the GOP faces a difficult fight to maintain control of both houses of Congress. Trump's approval rating has remained low, with polls showing that voters are dissatisfied with the rising cost of living and the ongoing war with Iran, among other issues. Forecasters say Democrats are likely to secure a majority in the House of Representatives in the midterms, while the GOP's grip on the Senate may also be at risk.
Republicans are hoping that this unique convention will set the tone for the final stretch toward a general election that could determine the course of Trump's final two years in the White House.
The convention will be held on Wednesday and Thursday at the American Airlines Center, the home arena of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks. Organizers have said they expect up to 20,000 people in attendance, including administration officials, GOP candidates and Republican voters.
Over the course of two days, the convention will highlight key issues at the heart of Republicans' midterm message, including border security, tax cuts and economic growth, according to a programming schedule shared by the RNC.
Trump will be a central figure throughout the two-day event. He's scheduled to give a keynote address on Wednesday and provide "closing remarks" following Vice President JD Vance's keynote speech on Thursday.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Attorney General Todd Blanche, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Sen. Ted Cruz and Donald Trump Jr. are among the more than 40 speakers expected to address the convention.
The event will also highlight GOP candidates in some of the most pivotal midterm races across the country, including Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is locked in a tight Senate race with Democratic state lawmaker James Talarico. No Democrat has won a U.S. Senate race in the Lone Star State since 1988, but recent polls have shown Talarico with a slight lead.
The Republican candidates in key Senate contests in Georgia, Michigan and North Carolina will also be making appearances.
On top of being a showcase for the GOP to make its pitch to voters, the convention will also provide a rare fundraising opportunity for the RNC and individual candidates, with many of the party's biggest donors gathered together in a state that Punchbowl News described as "the Republican Party's biggest ATM." Trump will appear at an RNC roundtable on Wednesday with tickets costing $250,000, plus an additional $88,600 for a photo with the president. A ticket and photo at a similar event hosted by Vance on Thursday will cost attendees a total of $110,000.
In the lead-up to the convention, some Republicans have wondered whether a splashy event centered around Trump is the best strategic approach for the party.
Dozens of GOP candidates running in swing districts around the country have opted not to attend, with some reportedly concerned about associating themselves with a president who more than 70% of independent voters disapprove of.
"The less you're associated with Trump, the better," an anonymous GOP donor told Politico in July.
Notable Republican figures who are not listed as speakers include Senate Majority Leader John Thune and the party's nominees in critical Senate races in Alaska, Maine and Iowa.
Optimistic Republicans see the convention as an ideal opportunity for Republicans to unify behind a two-pronged message that highlights the party's accomplishments since Trump returned to the White House and how "out-of-touch" Democrats are.
"President Trump is the greatest messenger in the history of the Republican Party; we are unified and ready!" RNC co-chair K.C. Crosbie wrote on X Monday. "This November is Socialism Vs. Freedom, and I'm always on the side of Freedom. Can't wait to see ya'll in Dallas."
But some other Republicans have expressed concerns, often anonymously through the political press, that the GOP's key messages will get drowned out as Trump dominates the spotlight.
"If Trump is in the orbit then everything gets swallowed up into a black hole. It's just unavoidable," Rick Tyler, a Republican strategist and critic of the president, told the Associated Press.
To keep their majorities in Congress, Republicans will have to overcome both history and strong political headwinds working against them. As a rule, the first midterms of a new presidency tend to go poorly for the party that controls the White House. In 2018, Democrats flipped 41 House seats to secure a majority that allowed them to stifle Trump's legislative agenda for the last two years of his first presidential term. Four years later, Republicans similarly gained a narrow majority in the House during Joe Biden's presidency.
Midterm results are also strongly correlated with presidential job approval. Even though presidents aren't on the ballot, their party's performance tends to be tied to the public's opinion of their leadership.
The RNC is planning to broadcast both nights of the convention on its YouTube channel. C-SPAN will also be airing the event on TV, radio and YouTube.