President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that Republicans will hold a party convention in Dallas in September, noting in a Truth Social post that the event will be the first of its kind for the GOP in a midterm election year.
Trump described the convention, scheduled for Sept. 9-10, as a “truly Historic Event.”
“Dallas will take center stage on September 9th and 10th as we celebrate our Nation, our achievements, and our bright future. THE GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICA HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN!” Trump said in his post.
The party gathering comes as Republicans are defending narrow majorities in the House and Senate, and as the president’s sinking approval rating has put those majorities at risk.
Texas will be at the center of this year’s fight for control of Congress, with multiple House battlegrounds and competitive races for Senate, and potentially for governor. A New York Times/Siena poll released Tuesday found a tied Senate race between Democratic state Rep. James Talarico and his Republican opponent, state Attorney General Ken Paxton, while Gov. Greg Abbott holds a 6 percentage point lead over Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa in the governor’s race.
Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters said in a statement Tuesday that the convention “will be a Trumpapalooza, where we will showcase the America First agenda.”
“President Trump will unite Republicans around our shared vision, build momentum, and deliver an incredible convention for our Party,” he added.
Trump on Tuesday offered a preview of the potential programming, writing on Truth Social: “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 announced plans for a midterm convention late last year. Democrats are not planning to hold a similar event.
