Trump says Dallas will host Republican midterm convention in September

“At the Event, we will have hardworking Americans, our Great Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Manufacturers, First Responders, and Job Creators who are powering our Nation’s Golden Age, and proving that America’s best days are still ahead of us. We will also have lots of Great Entertainment — It will be a RALLY like none other!” Trump said.

The Democratic Party has not made any public indications that it will host a midterm convention of its own. The Democratic National Committee had been toying with the idea of hosting a smaller convention for the 2026 midterm, but officially decided against the idea in early March to focus on the 2028 convention, despite the GOP’s plans to host one.

RNC Chairman Joe Gruters previously told the Washington Examiner that this year’s convention would be “a Trump-a-palooza that will showcase the strength of the Republican Party and the candidates carrying President Trump’s America First agenda forward.”

The RNC’s decision to host its first-ever midterm convention to engage more voters highlights the importance of this fall for the GOP as it looks to maintain its majorities in both chambers of Congress. 

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) emphasized the weight of November’s elections last week at the Faith and Freedom Coalition conference.

“If we were to lose the midterms, heaven forbid, these Democrats, y’all, impeachment is not even the big concern,” Johnson said. “They will turn every committee of Congress into an investigative body, and they’ll go after the president’s family, the Cabinet, his donors, and friends. Half of you in this room will be targeted.” 

“I run the protection program,” Johnson continued. “I’ll take care of you. We’re gonna win. We’re gonna win the midterms.”

DEMOCRATS OPT OUT OF 2026 PARTY CONVENTION PROMISED BY GOP

The Democratic Party has held midterm conventions in the past but not since the 20th century. DNC Executive Director Roger Lau said in a March statement that the party would instead lean into its 2025 playbook this year, in which the party focused on affordability messaging.

“Republicans were baited into wasting time and money on a midterm convention that will sink their swing-seat candidates by tying them directly to Trump’s wildly unpopular policies,” Lau said of the Republican midterm convention back in March.