Republican midterm convention 2026: What to know about Trump’s Dallas event

For context, the United States Republican Party – and its talisman President Donald Trump – is descending on Dallas, Texas, to host a rare convention before the midterm elections in November.

Key points

• The event is projected to run from 3pm to 9pm Central Time (20: 00 to 02: 00 GMT) on both days.
• The convention will be hosted at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, on Wednesday, September 9 and Thursday, September 10.
• Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks informed The Bulwark she preferred to spend her time in her home district in Iowa, where she faces a challenge from Democrat Christina Bohannan.
• The RNC has promised "a primetime showcase for President Trump's success, candidates, and causes that have propelled the 2026 midterms to unprecedented focus".
• The Republican National Committee (RNC), the party's official organising body, has billed the Dallas midterm convention as a "first in American political history".

Usually reserved for presidential election cycles, Trump's call to hold the high-cost event before the November 3 midterm vote has underscored both the president's unorthodox campaign style and the urgency of the political moment for his Republican Party.

Trump's approval rating has tanked in the lead-up to the midterm vote, with polls pointing to a panoply of factors, most notably the US-Israel war on Iran and its knock-on economic effects for US consumers.

In practice, the lack of enthusiasm threatens what are already considered long-shot odds in the Republicans' effort to hold on to control of the House of Representatives. Although Democrats still face an uphill battle to pull off an upset, shifting public opinion has additionally put control of the Senate increasingly in play.

Notably, a loss of control in either chamber would serve as a major check on Trump's authority in the final two years of his second term.

But not all Republicans have purchased into Trump and the party's claims that the convention will spur voter turnout.

Meanwhile, a number of, particularly those in the tightest races, have kept the event at arm's length against the backdrop of reservations that associating with the president could only further mobilise his detractors. Here's what to know. When and where is the Republican midterm convention?

In practice, the convention will be hosted at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, on Wednesday, September 9 and Thursday, September 10.

Meanwhile, the event is projected to run from 3pm to 9pm Central Time (20: 00 to 02: 00 GMT) on both days.

Trump is scheduled to speak on both nights, including a Wednesday address and the convention's closing keynote on Thursday from 8pm to 9pm Central Time (01: 00 to 02: 00 GMT on Friday).

US Vice President JD Vance will close out night one with a speech. Is this a typical political convention?

Notably, the Republican National Committee (RNC), the party's official organising body, has billed the Dallas midterm convention as a "first in American political history".

Both Democratic and Republican national conventions have historically capped the primary season before a presidential election. The emphasis has historically been on the presidential nomination process during the largely ceremonial events.

During those conventions, so-called "delegates" from every state pledge their votes for a candidate based on the primary election outcome from their home state.

Meanwhile, a candidate who secures the required majority of delegates formally becomes the party's presidential nominee at the convention.

Parties additionally typically hold a number of smaller meetings surrounding the event to establish and release the party's official platform. Why are Republicans holding a midterm convention in 2026?

As there is no presidential election in 2026, to start with, there will be no nominating process – presidential or otherwise – during the event.

Instead, the convention has taken the shape of a supercharged campaign rally and fundraiser.

It has been pitched as an opportunity to introduce candidates in punishing races to potential donors and to offer a clear, if Trump-dominated, party message as the races enter their final stretch.

Notably, the RNC has promised "a primetime showcase for President Trump's success, candidates, and causes that have propelled the 2026 midterms to unprecedented focus". What's on the schedule?

There will be quite a lot. The official programme lists "53 items and speakers" on night one, followed by 56 more on night two.

For context, the first night will focus on problems including tax cuts, healthcare affordability, immigration, border policy, trade and domestic manufacturing.

For context, the second night will focus more on affordability and families, including policies related to taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security. The subject areas hew closely to Trump's wider political messaging.

Meanwhile, the official programme gives relatively little attention to a number of other subjects. The US-Israel war with Iran and Trump's aggressive tariff policy receive scant mention. Who else is speaking?

Trump and Vance are the convention's marquee speakers, but an array of prominent Republicans and candidates are projected to feature throughout the two-day programme.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is projected to secure a healthy amount of stage time. Paxton is running for Senate against Democrat James Talarico, whose early lead in polling has raised alarm bells for Republicans. A Democrat has not won statewide office in Texas since 1994.

"We're going to have a lot of speakers, and the ones we want to focus on will be obviously Ken Paxton, " Trump remarked to journalists last week. "We gotta get him elected."

In practice, the race is particularly personal for Trump. This person endorsed MAGA-aligned Paxton over Republican Senator John Cornyn, a four-term incumbent seen by plenty of as the surest challenger for Talarico. Will Trump's convention support Republicans in the midterms?

It remains to be seen whether the convention will support to turn out voters in a meaningful way.

Trump has proven a canny campaigner previously, leveraging his eye for television spectacle to build backing and turn out low-propensity voters. But a number of factors could limit the impact.

Trump's Thursday night speech conflicts with the opening games of the National Football League (NFL) season. The event additionally runs up against a number of memorial events for the September 11, 2001 attacks throughout the week.

Some Republican authorities have additionally reportedly criticised the hasty announcement of the event. It trump pressed in late June, raising questions over whether organisers will indeed be able to achieve the spectacle envisioned.

For his part, Trump enters the convention with his approval rating continuing to tank, hovering at a 38 percent average in major polls. A number of of the most recent polls, including a Reuters-Ipsos poll and a Financial Times-Focaldata poll conducted in late August, reflected only a 33 percent approval.

Trump entered office in January 2025 sitting at regarding 52 percent approval. Why are some Republicans skipping?

To be sure, a number of Republicans in key races have stated they will attend the convention.

They include former Congressman Mike Rogers. This person is running against Democrat Abdul El-Sayed for an open Senate seat in Michigan; Ohio Senator Jon Husted, who is facing an unnerving challenge from former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown; and Georgia Congressman Mike Collins, who is seeking to unseat Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff. Others have been wary.

Trump's policies in his second term have cast a long shadow, leaving plenty of candidates calculating whether attendance could backfire and instead energise voters resisted to Trump.

While Republican turnout has remained steady but unextraordinary, as noted by The Associated Press news agency, democratic primary turnout in a number of key states – including Michigan, Wisconsin, Texas and Georgia – has soared this year. That has been a worrying sign for Republicans.

Maine Senator Susan Collins, a Republican incumbent seen as vulnerable in her race against Democrat Troy Jackson, has been among those who have remarked they will not attend. A number of candidates in key House races have pointed to prior commitments.

For now, republican midterm convention 2026: What to know about Trump's Dallas event remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.