Trump counts on midterm convention to boost Republican candidates for midterms

Republicans, during the unconventional midterm convention in Dallas, attacked Democrats as extremists and vowed unwavering allegiance to former President Donald Trump, positioning him as the focal point of upcoming elections despite his low approval ratings. Some Republican candidates skipped the two-day event, while others hoped their presence would put them in the national spotlight as they sought to mobilize Trump's supporters before the November polls.

The convention, a blend of rally and fundraiser, aimed to invigorate party enthusiasm as voters grappled with economic issues and dissatisfaction with Iran's war. Much of the discussion sought to portray Democrats as too radical, labeling them communists, anti-American, or even evil. Republicans positioned themselves as a "common sense" alternative in the quest to retain control of Congress.

An unexpected ally was Democratic Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman, who via video message pledged to reject "extremes and socialism" and work with Trump to defend the steel industry in his state. Concurrently, Trump's political organization, which had amassed hundreds of millions of dollars, launched a spending campaign through a new PAC, the No Going Back PAC Inc., targeting six competitive Senate races and one competitive House race, in addition to $10 million already spent on the Texas Senate race by Trump's super PAC, MAGA Inc. The convention, essentially "The Trump Show," boasted 12 hours of programming with over 100 speakers and segments on topics such as tax cuts, fraud allegations, border security, and a proposed ban on members of Congress trading stocks.

However, the Iran war received no mention. Some Republican lawmakers, citing high attendance fees, have opted out of attending.