Wahlkampf-Event in Texas: Trump-Show endet: Fünf Lehren aus dem Republikaner-Parteitag

The Republican party convention in Texas concluded with Donald Trump urging the crowd to campaign for him, saying, "We swear we will leave on November 3rd and vote," addressing them and receiving cheers and laughter. This marks the first Republican party convention before US midterm elections. The event in Dallas, Texas ended with a lukewarm reception.

However, the hot phase of the election campaign has begun. What did the Republican party convention reveal about the strategy of the Republicans? And what problems lie just two months before the important midterms for the president's party? Five lessons from Trump's show in Texas.

1. Trump declares the midterms a vote for himself. The walls of the massive venue, decorated with countless Trump images, symbolized the core message he had with him: the midterms should revolve around him. "Please act as if I were running for office," Trump asked multiple times. It's an attempt to mobilize his supporters to vote even if he is not on the ballot.

The United States is divided like perhaps never before, and recent polls show Democrats have been more motivated to go to the polls than Republicans. The attempt by the US president to change this through prominent participation in the election campaign is politically risky: The majority of people in the country have been unsatisfied with Trump for a long time.

When Republican candidates stand by his side in the run-up to the midterm elections, they run the risk of being held responsible for his policies.

2. Republicans rely on fear-based mobilization. Apart from the charisma of their president, the Republicans in Dallas mainly rely on a tool for mobilization: fear. Speaker after speaker sketch a gloomy picture of their country's future should the political opposition win the congressional elections. The Democrats today, so the argument goes, are no longer just representatives of liberal-left politics.

They are "radical," "crazy," "communists." The Republicans repeatedly attack left-wing Democrats who have achieved successes in party primaries before the midterms. The message to their base: Go and vote in the midterms, it's about nothing less than the future of the USA as a free and secure country.

3. Republicans see their own tails slipping away - even in Texas. On November 3rd, Americans will elect nearly one-third of senators and the entire House of Representatives. For Trump and the Republicans, a lot is at stake: if they lose even one of the two chambers of parliament, they can expect much more resistance to Trump's policies.

The unusual methods of the Republicans are also showing that things are slipping for them: Trump promised $5,000 to every adult US citizen should the Republicans keep their majorities in both chambers. The proposal would cost about a trillion US dollars, roughly the entire US defense budget. Remarkably, the Republicans used their convention in Dallas to reach out to a Texan: Republican candidate Ken Paxton wants to run for Senate in the traditionally Republican Texas.

However, Democrats hope Trump's party will lose his seat. If their candidate James Talarico wins, he would be the first Democratic senator from Texas in over three decades.

4. Trump's trade conflict and the Iran war heat up before the election. While the Republicans want to set accents in domestic policy, current conflicts in the world are heating up - and this does not benefit Trump. During the election campaign, he admitted: The Iran war will probably not be finished until after the midterms. After the attacks on oil tankers, oil prices rose to the highest level in nearly four months.

Diesel prices recently reached a record high in the United States. In addition, the trade conflict with Canada has escalated in recent days. States in the northern US that rely on trade with their neighbor are increasingly getting into trouble. Trump's aggressive trade policy is bringing Republican candidates in these regions into conflict.

5. Constant applause despite empty seats: Trump's factor on display. Nevertheless, many Republicans with Trump hats and shirts, who still praise the President's politics, gathered at the convention. Almost like on command, they broke into cheers whenever Trump or other Republicans praised his agenda on stage. The convention was a "huge, sold-out success," raved Trump after the first day on his Truth Social platform.

But many seats were empty, especially on the first day of the event. Some Republicans consciously decided against attending and instead continued campaigning in their districts or states. It is unclear how they maintain their distance from Trump in many cases. Speculations were made at the convention about the future of the party after Trump.

Vice President Joe Biden's son JD Vance was a focal point on the second day, again drawing the most attention as a potential future president, being the 48th.