Yes
It will.
No
It won’t.
President Donald Trump is trying something highly unusual ahead of the 2026 midterm elections: Republicans are gathering in Dallas for what Trump has described as the party’s first-ever midterm convention.
The two-day event is scheduled for September 9 and 10 and represents an attempt to bring some of the energy and national attention normally associated with presidential-year conventions into a midterm election.
Trump and Vice President JD Vance are scheduled to headline the gathering, with Trump expected to appear on both nights. Republican lawmakers, candidates and other speakers are also expected to participate.
The strategy is clear.
Trump remains the dominant figure inside the Republican Party, but unlike during a presidential election, his name will not appear on the ballot in November. Republicans therefore face the challenge of persuading Trump voters to turn out for House, Senate and other races without Trump himself running for office.
The convention provides the GOP with an opportunity to put the president at the center of its closing argument.
Republican organizers are expected to highlight the administration’s record and contrast the party’s agenda with Democratic policies. Trump has also pledged to campaign actively in roughly three dozen competitive congressional races as Republicans fight to maintain control of Congress.
Supporters believe the convention could energize Republican voters, generate national media attention and give GOP candidates a unified message heading into the final stretch of the campaign.
But there are risks.
Midterm elections frequently become referendums on the president and the party controlling Washington. Republicans must persuade voters concerned about issues such as household expenses, foreign policy and the economy that maintaining GOP control of Congress is in their interest.
Some Republican strategists have also expressed concern about making the midterms too heavily focused on Trump rather than individual candidates and local issues.
That makes the Dallas experiment particularly significant.
If the convention generates enthusiasm among voters who might otherwise stay home during a midterm election, Republicans could eventually view the strategy as a model worth repeating.
If it fails to move voters, however, critics may question whether recreating a presidential-style convention during a congressional election was worth the effort.
Either way, Trump is once again abandoning political convention and trying something different.