Only two Republican candidates responded when 28 were invited to President Donald Trump’s planned Dallas midterm convention in September, revealing deep reluctance among vulnerable GOP contenders to campaign alongside the president.
Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Joe Gruters coined the term “Trumpapalooza” for the gathering, which would mark the first Republican midterm convention ever held. Trump will serve as the featured speaker, but many candidates competing in tight races worry that appearing with him could damage their electoral prospects as the party fights to preserve its slim congressional majority.
The dismal turnout reflects Trump’s current political vulnerability. His approval ratings have plummeted to some of the lowest levels in months, driven largely by widespread opposition to his deeply unpopular war in Iran. Gas prices have surged to $5 a gallon because of the conflict, compounding a broader cost-of-living squeeze that voters are experiencing both at gas stations and grocery stores.
A Convention Nobody Wants to Attend
Former Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake said candidates running in competitive statewide elections have little incentive to make the journey. He singled out Arizona Republican gubernatorial nominee Andy Biggs as an example, explaining he could not envision Biggs wanting to link himself to the president just as early voting gets underway.
A spokesperson for Biggs’s campaign refused to confirm whether he would participate in the September gathering. Before the July 21 primary — which Biggs won — the spokesperson said they “haven’t made any post-primary travel plans yet.” One Republican donor, speaking anonymously regarding internal party conversations, argued that candidates gain an advantage by separating themselves from the president and his controversial brand.
The Trump Show and Its Risks
Flake warned that showing up at the Dallas gathering would pull candidates away from critical campaigning time in their own districts while tying them to polarizing subjects. Trump would probably spend considerable energy relitigating the 2020 election and advancing election conspiracies, Flake said, messages that resonate poorly with Arizona voters. Candidates want to talk about their own policy proposals or attack Democratic rivals, objectives that become unattainable when campaigning next to Trump in a different state, Flake explained. He characterized the gathering as a one-man spectacle revolving entirely around the president.
Friction between Trump and Biggs is nothing new. Despite running with Trump’s endorsement, Biggs clashed with the president in 2023 after refusing to support Kevin McCarthy for House Speaker. Reports indicate Trump threatened to pull future backing unless Biggs switched his vote to McCarthy. That confrontation highlights the complicated, transactional character of the president’s alliances with even those he supports.
Party Officials Push Back
RNC officials dismiss the idea that distancing themselves from Trump represents a winning tactic. One official said the party’s entire strategy depends on the conviction that the president continues to be a real electoral advantage, especially for mobilizing Republican voters. That official maintained that Republicans are not running away from the president as occurred in 2018, and that GOP hopefuls are actually building tighter partnerships with the White House and its political apparatus.
The same official offered a sharp qualifier: even candidates who ultimately skip the convention might still require Trump’s assistance to energize the party’s base. It serves as a reminder that steering clear of the president in public does not mean avoiding him completely.
Trump’s influence over Republican primaries appears to remain strong. A Newsweek tally showed he had endorsed 14 primary winners and experienced just one loss as of early July, a track record that supports the RNC’s faith in his appeal with core voters.
Trump himself has complicated the messaging. During a cabinet meeting in late May, dismissing the notion that Iran could wait him out until the elections, he stated, “I don’t care about the midterms.” The remark was aimed at Tehran, yet it created problems for a party he is now urging to gather in Dallas — and it contradicts his own frequent claims that Democrats will pursue impeachment if the GOP loses Congress. For candidates deciding whether to share his platform, a president who openly dismisses November presents a problematic headline act.