ReportGOP's First-Ever Midterm Convention: Trump, Vance Headline in DallasAired September 9, 2026 at 10:10 AM UTCWritten September 9, 2026 at 10:13 AM UTCRead the write-upThis storyTranscript · LOADING0:00Republicans open their first ever midterm convention in Dallas tonight.0:04The two-day event comes eight weeks before elections that decide control of the0:08House and Senate.0:10President Trump designed it to channel the spectacle of a presidential nominating0:13convention into a midterm rally, assembling lawmakers, candidates, donors, and party0:18officials from across the country.0:20The goal is to frame the midterms as an existential choice and to give the party a0:24unified message as the campaign enters its final stretch.0:27The question is whether a convention built on one man's brand actually moves the0:30midterms or becomes a personal showcase that leaves the party's congressional0:34message unfocused.0:35The convention is unprecedented in U.S.0:38political history.0:39Typically, party conventions are held every four years to nominate a presidential0:42candidate.0:43This midterm convention is a creation of President Trump, who wanted to bring that0:47level of energy to the off-year elections.0:50The event is being watched closely as a test of his influence over the party.0:54Tonight's opening session is set to get underway at the American Airline Center,0:58with President Trump delivering the keynote.1:00The program is packed with party leaders and Texas figures, and the event is being1:05treated as a historic first.1:07Trump announced the convention on Truth Social, and the RNC has been promoting it1:11heavily.1:12Here's who's on the lineup: President Trump, Vice President Vance, Health and Human1:16Services Secretary Robert F.1:18Kennedy Jr., Texas Governor Greg Abbott, and Senator Ted Cruz.1:21Trump will deliver the keynote on Wednesday's opening night and appears both days.1:25Vance is also scheduled to give a keynote, though reports conflict on whether it1:29falls on the first or second night.1:31Kennedy, Abbott, and Cruz are confirmed speakers.1:34The RNC announced the lineup from Dallas, and the programming is designed to mimic1:38the energy of a presidential nominating convention, complete with a planned balloon1:42drop at the end.1:43The first night is expected to focus on the president's message, with a keynote from1:47Trump.1:48The second night may feature Vance and others, but the lineup is not fully settled.1:53The event also includes cultural common sense segments, which are designed to appeal1:57to conservative values.1:58Dates and venue are confirmed, September 9th and 10 at the American Airlines Center2:03in Dallas.2:04Trump's opening night keynote is set and he's expected to appear both days.2:08But the exact night for Vance's keynote remains uncertain, with reports differing.2:12The balloon drop at the end is planned but not yet locked in.2:15Kennedy, Abbott, and Cruz are all confirmed on the program.2:18This is the first national midterm convention in modern American political history,2:23a format normally reserved for presidential nominating conventions.2:26That's why the party is treating it as historic, and why the event is drawing so2:30much attention.2:31The presence of Texas leaders like Abbott and Cruz underscores the state's2:35importance in the party's electoral strategy.2:38This is a major national moment, and the party hopes to use the spectacle to2:42energize supporters in key battlegrounds.2:44The convention is being broadcast nationally, and Republicans expect it to be a2:48defining moment of the midterm campaign.2:56House Speaker Mike Johnson goes further, framing the midterms as a competition3:00against communism and calling it a contrast between common sense solutions and3:04far-left or socialist policy.3:06The convention program also includes segments built around cultural common sense.3:10The framing is not new.3:11Trump used the phrase last November after Zorin Mamdani won the New York mayoral3:16election, telling business leaders Americans must choose between communism and3:19common sense.3:20White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt repeated it in June, describing the3:23Democratic Party as in the middle of a full-blown communist revolution.3:27Now that language takes the stage in Dallas, the party is using the convention to3:30nationalize the midterms, turning them into a referendum on the administration's3:34agenda.3:34By framing the choice as communism versus common sense, the GOP hopes to energize3:39its base and win over swing voters.3:41Already coverage of the event carries the label Trump a palooza.3:44Many in the party are hoping the president does not make it all about him.3:47But they are counting on his ability to rally the faithful.3:50The tension is real.3:51The event is a showcase for Trump's brand.3:54Yet the GOP needs it to translate into congressional wins.3:57With control of the House and Senate on the line, every seat matters.4:01The Republicans believe this convention can give them a late cycle boost, but the4:05risks are just as real.4:07If the event comes off as a personal tribute to the President, it could reinforce4:11the perception that the party is more about one man than a platform.4:14The event closes tonight with a planned balloon drop.4:17Part of the spectacle that Trump wanted to channel from presidential conventions,4:21whether it moves the midterms is the open question, and the answer will come with4:25November's results.Explore with HeyDexFollow via RSSThe shortThe short ↗