Republicans Have One Big Request for Trump at Midterm Convention: Talk About GOP Wins, Not Yourself

Some Republicans want Donald Trump to use the party's first midterm convention to promote what the GOP has accomplished in power rather than making the two-day event all about himself.

The unusual gathering opens in Dallas on 9 September, less than two months before voters decide control of Congress. Unlike a traditional presidential convention, Republicans will not nominate a candidate, approve a party platform or conduct other formal party business.

Dozens of Republican lawmakers and candidates have expressed hopes that Trump will use the national spotlight to focus on the party's record and the stakes of November's elections, according to Politico.

The concern comes as Trump's approval rating stood at 33 per cent in a Reuters/Ipsos poll that concluded on 31 August, its lowest level of his current term. Key races on 3 November will determine which party controls Congress and how easily Trump can advance his legislative agenda.

Wisconsin congressman Derrick Van Orden said it was 'incredibly important that we highlight what we've accomplished'. House Speaker Mike Johnson similarly described the convention as an extraordinary opportunity for Republicans to get 'a couple of nights on national television'.

What Republicans Want Trump to Talk About

Much of the message Republicans want to promote centres on their legislative record, including the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which Trump signed last year. The law includes a new deduction for qualified tips and tax-advantaged child savings accounts branded as Trump Accounts.

Texas congressman Craig Goldman said the convention would be an opportunity to 'brag about what the Republican Party has done'.

Republicans also want to draw a sharp contrast with Democrats, whom they accuse of moving too far to the left. Candidates fighting key races are expected to be featured throughout the convention as the party attempts to turn the national spectacle into support for its congressional ticket.

Georgia congressman Brian Jack said Democrats had been 'drawn to the absolute most extreme left of their party'.

Why Some Republicans Are Nervous

The fear is that Trump's enormous presence could overshadow that message and turn the midterms into a referendum on the president himself.

His approval rating is at a record low for his current term, while 71 per cent of Americans disapprove of his handling of the cost of living. Petrol prices have also risen since Trump ordered strikes on Iran in February.

Republican lawmakers have urged him to make affordability a central issue. Trump, however, has dismissed affordability as a term he says Democrats invented and continued to focus on other priorities.

He has also urged Congress to take up the SAVE America Act, an elections bill some Republican candidates see as a distraction with just eight weeks until voters head to the polls.

West Virginia congressman Riley Moore said speakers should remain 'laser-focused' on 'what's on the line' for voters in November.

Trump told Republican lawmakers last week that they already had a winning message and needed to talk about it. But ultimately, no one can dictate what the president chooses to say once he takes the stage.

Some Republicans Are Staying Home

Not every Republican plans to make the trip to Dallas.

Of more than 70 Republican candidates and lawmakers surveyed about their plans, 45 either ruled out attending or had yet to decide.

Michigan congressman Tom Barrett, who holds a seat his party could lose, said he would 'be more useful in my district'. Asked whether Trump's remarks at the convention could complicate his race, Barrett said he could control only where he was and what he was doing.

Free tickets are also being offered to members of the public. Organisers expect around 30,000 people to attend over the two days at the American Airlines Center. House Republicans were earlier asked to pay at least $25,000 to attend.

Can Trump Stick to the GOP Message?

The convention gives Republicans something they rarely receive during a midterm campaign: a national stage dedicated to promoting their candidates and record.

Trump will speak on both nights and close the event, putting the president firmly at the centre of a convention Republicans also want to use to sell their accomplishments to voters.

For GOP candidates fighting to keep control of Congress, the desired message is straightforward: highlight what Republicans have delivered and contrast it with what Democrats are offering.

Whether Trump sticks to that script or turns the spotlight back towards himself is the one thing his party cannot control.