Democrats are in trouble.
President Donald Trump is making political history in Dallas as Republicans gather for the party’s first-ever national midterm convention, an unusual two-day event designed to put the GOP agenda front and center ahead of the November elections.
The gathering at the American Airlines Center represents a major departure from the traditional political calendar. National party conventions are normally associated with presidential election years, when delegates gather to nominate candidates and conduct official party business.
This time, there is no presidential nomination on the agenda.
Instead, Republicans are using the convention to showcase Trump’s record, promote GOP candidates and energize voters as the battle for control of Congress enters its final stretch.
More than 100 speakers are scheduled to participate, including Vice President JD Vance, Cabinet officials, congressional leaders and Republican candidates from across the country.
The program focuses heavily on issues affecting American families, including taxes, immigration, healthcare, government spending, public safety and the economy.
Trump Takes Center Stage at Historic GOP Convention
Although Trump is not on the ballot in November, the president is unquestionably the biggest name at the gathering.
Trump is scheduled to address the convention Wednesday night before returning Thursday for the finale. Vice President JD Vance is also scheduled for a major Thursday appearance.
The unusual format gives Trump an opportunity to speak directly to Republican voters while highlighting his administration’s accomplishments and making the case for keeping GOP majorities in Washington.
Republicans hope the convention can generate some of the excitement normally associated with a presidential campaign and carry that enthusiasm into the midterm elections.
That could be particularly important because midterm elections frequently revolve around turnout. With the presidency not being contested this year, both parties are working to convince their supporters that control of Congress is reason enough to vote.
Trump Administration Officials Join the Event
Several prominent members of the Trump administration are participating in the Dallas gathering.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is among the officials on the program, putting economic issues and the administration’s financial policies in the spotlight.
Attorney General Todd Blanche is also scheduled to participate.
An appearance by a sitting attorney general at a major partisan political gathering is noteworthy because the Justice Department’s top official has traditionally maintained some distance from electoral politics.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner are also among the administration officials appearing during the two-day event.
Their participation allows Republicans to highlight different parts of the administration’s domestic agenda rather than making the convention exclusively about congressional campaigns.
Republican Leaders Descend on Dallas
Some of the biggest names in Republican politics are also participating.
House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott are among the scheduled speakers.
National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Richard Hudson of North Carolina and Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters are also part of the event.
Republicans are using the convention to present their positions on some of the issues expected to influence voters most heavily in November.
Those include the cost of living, taxes, border security, immigration, healthcare and government spending.
The GOP is also drawing contrasts between Republican and Democratic approaches to those issues, giving voters competing visions to consider before Election Day.
Democrats Push Back With Their Own Message
Democrats are responding to the Republican gathering with political events of their own.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is among the Democratic figures appearing in Dallas as the party attempts to challenge the message coming from the GOP convention.
Other Democrats have criticized Republican economic policies and argued that the administration has not adequately addressed voters’ concerns about rising living costs.
Republicans, meanwhile, are using the convention to argue that their policies offer a better path on taxes, immigration, healthcare and other major national issues.
The competing messages provide an early preview of the arguments Americans are likely to hear repeatedly during the final weeks before the election.
Texas Senate Battle Moves Into the Spotlight
Holding the convention in Texas also places additional attention on one of the country’s most closely watched Senate contests.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is running against Democratic state Rep. James Talarico for the Senate seat being vacated by Republican Sen. John Cornyn.
Trump backed Paxton during the Republican primary contest, and national Republicans are supporting his campaign heading into November.
The race is particularly significant because control of the U.S. Senate is at stake.
Texas has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1988, but the contest has nevertheless attracted national attention as both parties fight over every potentially competitive seat.
Paxton is among the Republicans appearing at the convention, giving his campaign a prominent platform in his home state.
Several GOP candidates competing in important House races are also scheduled to participate, including Republicans campaigning in South Texas.
Control of Congress Is at Stake
Behind the speeches and political pageantry is a much bigger issue: which party will control Congress during the final two years of Trump’s presidency.
Republicans entered the election cycle seeking to protect their majorities in both the House and Senate.
Losing either chamber would change the balance of power in Washington.
A Republican-controlled Congress could make it easier for Trump to pursue his legislative agenda, while Democratic control of either chamber could produce greater resistance to White House priorities and increased congressional oversight of the administration.
That makes the November election consequential even though Americans are not choosing a president this year.
Every House seat is on the ballot, along with a significant portion of the Senate.
Why Republicans Are Trying Something Different
The creation of a national midterm convention represents an unusual experiment for the Republican Party.
Presidential conventions traditionally serve several formal purposes, including nominating presidential and vice-presidential candidates and conducting party business.
The Dallas gathering is different.
There is no presidential nomination to complete. Instead, Republicans have taken some of the elements of a presidential convention — major speeches, nationally recognized political figures and extensive media attention — and moved them into a midterm election year.
The goal is straightforward: attract attention to Republican candidates and policies at a time when many Americans may not be following congressional campaigns as closely as they follow presidential elections.
Whether this approach becomes a regular feature of American politics will depend partly on how Republicans view the event after November.
Trump Remains at the Center of the GOP
The convention also demonstrates Trump’s continuing influence over the Republican Party.
Even without his name appearing on the November ballot, the president is serving as the central attraction of an event intended to help Republicans running for Congress.
Trump is expected to highlight his administration’s record while encouraging supporters to participate in an election that could determine how much of his agenda can advance through Congress during the remainder of his term.
At the same time, Democrats are working to make the election a referendum on Trump’s leadership and Republican control of Washington.
That sets up a clear political battle heading into November.
Republicans will ask voters to preserve GOP control of Congress and continue advancing the administration’s agenda. Democrats will make the case that voters should change the balance of power.
For Americans, the decision will ultimately come at the ballot box.
But before that happens, Republicans are trying something their party has never done before: holding a national midterm convention with a sitting president at the center of the stage.
And with control of Congress hanging in the balance, the Dallas gathering could become one of the most closely watched political events of the 2026 midterm campaign.