Geoff Bennett:
Republicans are gathering in Dallas tonight for an unusual two-day midterm convention, with President Trump set to address the party on both nights. The event, part rally and part political showcase, is aimed at energizing Republican voters.
Our White House correspondent, Liz Landers, is in Dallas and joins us now with a preview.
So, Liz, based on your reporting, what should we expect?
Liz Landers:
Geoff, the Republican Party chairman himself has called this a Trumpapalooza.
The Republicans have never done a midterm convention like this, but this was something that President Trump wanted, and the party delivered here in Dallas. This looks like a convention in here. There are even balloons up in the ceiling behind me here.
But this is not focused on a floor agenda or a policy platform. Instead, this is really going to be focused on President Trump and what Republicans think are their accomplishments going into this midterm cycle. We should expect to hear about the One Big Beautiful Bill passing, them trying to root out fraud and waste out of government spending and securing the southern border.
One thing, though, that is rankling voters across this country and is high on the issues list for people that I’m talking to is the high price of gas and energy.
I asked Republican Congressman Bryan Steil of Wisconsin if this was going to harm the party going into the midterm convention.
Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI):
Costs are high for American families. That’s absolutely true. What are the policies that drive that down is the tax reform of Republicans, unleashing American energy and our work to make lives more affordable. Contrast that again with the high-tax policies of the Democrats and their anti-energy policies that actually makes life more unaffordable.
Liz Landers:
President Trump was asked about these high gas prices as he left the White House today. He said he thinks that they will come down after the midterms.
President Trump will be here both nights. He’s speaking tonight and tomorrow evening. We’re also expecting to hear from about 50 other speakers today, including everyday Americans sharing why they support the Republican Party. President Trump’s request to voters here, Geoff, going into the midterms has been to please consider him on the ballot.
We will see if that helps Republicans.
Geoff Bennett:
And, on that point, Liz, do you have a sense of which House and Senate GOP candidates are actually in Dallas at that convention?
Liz Landers:
Organizers say that more than 100 House and Senate candidates are here in Dallas and expected to attend.
President Trump, though, posted on TRUTH Social yesterday, saying — quote — “We’re really asking only those candidates that are in tight races, a little up, a little down, or even to speak. We want to save the stage for them.”
But despite the president’s post, Geoff, many Republican candidates in tight races are skipping this convention. I spoke last week with a Republican consultant in Michigan, Jason Roe. He works with Congressman Tom Barrett, a vulnerable Republican there in that state. And he told me that, for Tom, there are no voters in Dallas, he said of this event that’s happening here.
And he said that the congressman’s time is much better spent in Lansing, in Michigan, talking with voters. Among some of the other big names that will not be in attendance are also Susan Collins of Maine, John Sununu, who won that New Hampshire primary just last night, and Dan Sullivan of Alaska.
On the other hand, there are Republicans in tight races that are hugging the president and that are here for this event, including Texas candidate for Senate Ken Paxton, also Michael Whatley in North Carolina, Mike Collins in Georgia, and Mike Rogers from Michigan.
We are expecting to hear from members of the president’s Cabinet, including the Treasury secretary, Scott Bessent. And unusually, Geoff, the attorney general, Todd Blanche, is also expected to take the stage tonight.
Geoff Bennett:
And Liz, this event is aimed at energizing the base, but it’s also a major fund-raising opportunity for the party and for the candidates. Is that right?
Liz Landers:
This has been a large part of the conversation around this, the cost of being here in Dallas.
I got an invite that went out to Michigan party members back over the summer. And just for an individual who wanted to come, an honorary delegate is what they called it, that was going to cost $7,500 just for that individual ticket. That did include floor seating and hotel. That did not include air travel here.
It is $25,000 for members of Congress to attend. And The Wall Street Journal had some really staggering information about some of the fund-raising that’s going on here that President Trump is doing. They say that an RNC fund-raiser this afternoon with the president is costing $250,000 per person. If donors want to take a picture with the president, that costs $88,600.
Vice President J.D. Vance is also holding fund-raisers as well. A photo with him only costs $35,000. But MAGA Inc., which is the super PAC that is aligned with President Trump, has an enormous war chest of $400 million. They have hardly spent any of that.
But some of the races that they have started spending on include that Texas Senate race here, where Ken Paxton is running, where Republicans that I have talked to are very nervous that this seat could finally flip blue to Democrats, as they have been hoping to see happen for years now. The MAGA Inc. super PAC has already promised $10 million in that race, Geoff.
Geoff Bennett:
Liz Landers reporting for us from Dallas tonight.
Liz, our thanks to you.
Liz Landers:
Thanks.
