Trump-backed Dallas Convention Falters as GOP Candidates Scramble for Attendance
The Republican National Committee’s planned Dallas “midterm convention” is struggling to attract delegates, with many hotels and restaurants still having open slots and candidates paying steep fees to attend.
The RNC announced a “biggest ever” midterm convention in Dallas, yet hotel rooms at venues like the Crowne Plaza and Marriott remain largely unfilled and nearby restaurants still have reservations available. A lottery for free tickets has been introduced, but most Republican senators and representatives seem more interested in the NFL games scheduled at the same time. Only a handful of candidates, notably Senate hopefuls Mike Rogers and Michael Whatley, are paying $25,000 fees to attend, hoping to curry favor with Donald Trump’s $400 million MAGA Inc. PAC.
Democrats are countering with food-drive events and a group of House members planning parallel talks on affordability and corruption. The piece also highlights Rogers’ extensive spending on Florida travel while portraying himself as a Michigan candidate, and reports that Gregory Bovino’s bid for the 2028 presidency has unraveled after internal disputes and a modest $150 fundraiser.
Why it matters
The stalled convention reveals fractures within the GOP and may affect candidate visibility ahead of the 2026 midterms.
How this story developed
- Aug 15 Trump aides say president reluctant to campaign for down-ballot Republicans
- Sep 6 Trump ordered a Dallas midterm convention just before Thanksgiving, triggering a ticket‑sale scramble and prompting several GOP officials to boycott the event.
- Sep 6 Administration filed a third petition to the Supreme Court seeking to overturn the injunction.
- Sep 7 The order has led to temporary updates on mapping platforms and diplomatic irritation from Canada.
- Sep 7 Trump also directed the Gulf of Mexico to be renamed “Gulf of America” and floated proposals to rename the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, while ordering alterations to the White House grounds.
- Sep 7 A new poll shows Trump’s disapproval rating is nearly double its 2018 level, threatening GOP prospects in the midterms.
- Sep 7 MAGA Inc. filed an FEC report showing a new advertising purchase for the Texas Senate contest.
- Sep 8 Networks have scaled back live coverage of the convention to prioritize NFL opening‑weekend games.
- Sep 8 Republican strategists are distributing free tickets via unsolicited texts and a lottery to fill the venue.
- Sep 8 Trump issued an executive order to rename Lake Ontario as "Lake America" and has renamed other bodies of water.
- Sep 9 Organizers offered five‑figure tickets and hosted multiple donor events during the convention week.
- Sep 9 Prime Minister Carney publicly demanded an end to meme‑filled attacks amid the trade dispute.
- Sep 9 Texas Democrats adopt divergent tactics, with Tarrant County opting out of press events and Dallas County organizing a rally.
- Sep 9 Republican operatives voiced concerns that the convention’s timing clashes with the NFL opening weekend, limiting viewership.
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