President Donald Trump has officially announced that the Republican Party will hold its first-ever midterm national convention in Dallas September 9-10.
Following the announcement, Texas Scorecard spoke with Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters about why the party is breaking with tradition, why Dallas was selected to host the gathering, and what Republicans hope to accomplish ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Gruters described the convention as a “Trumpapalooza,” confirmed that delegates will attend despite there being no official party business, and said the Texas Republican Party will play a major role in organizing the event.
The following interview has been lightly edited for clarity.
Texas Scorecard: You described this convention yesterday as a “Trumpapalooza.” What exactly do you mean, and what should Republicans expect when they come to Dallas in September?
Joe Gruters: Well, the president’s the best showman that’s ever existed in politics. Period. So why not highlight him every which way—his policies, his ideas, the people surrounding him and his administration, all these great things that he’s done?
In order to defy history—and I don’t have to explain to you that only four times in the last 150 years has the incumbent party been successful holding the majorities—we have to do things differently. This is one of the things that we’re doing differently this year. We’re bringing the message right to the American people.
It’s going to be absolutely amazing. We’re super excited that the president came up with the idea and is willing to do it, and we’re going to use this to kick off our barnstorming tour to help all of our candidates across the country.
Texas Scorecard: This is the first Republican midterm convention in history. Why hold one now in 2026? What was the thinking behind this?
Gruters: Well, like I said, in order to defy history, you’ve got to throw out the playbook because the playbook that we’ve always used doesn’t necessarily work. It hasn’t worked.
This president has given us so many great things to rally around and to highlight and showcase that many Americans may not be familiar with. We think that by doing this specific type of event, it will bring out the best of what we have to offer, and we can show a clear contrast between what the president offers versus what you see now on the left and the shift to these radical leftist extremist candidates that are running and winning, the communist terrorist sympathizers, and how they fundamentally want to continue to try to change our country through illegal immigration and other types of leftist policies.
Texas Scorecard: President Trump obviously won’t be on the ballot himself this November. How do you make sure that the enthusiasm surrounding him, especially from 2024, translates into votes in 2026 for Republican candidates across the country?
Gruters: That’s why we’re doing the midterm convention.
He’s already proven he can win three times. He’s delivered these low-propensity voters, so it’s our job to help make sure that happens again. I think we can do that by showcasing him, his policies, his ideas, and then by barnstorming the country.
We made a concerted effort to find candidates that can win these tough districts. We have the resources we need, and of course, with the coordinated campaign limits being ruled on yesterday, it makes the party 100 times stronger.
With the president and his vision and his messaging and his willingness to be used to make sure that we can win on behalf of our candidates, I think we have everything that we need to defy history and win in November.
Texas Scorecard: Why was Dallas chosen for this event?
Gruters: I think the president loves Dallas. I think it’s a friendly state, a friendly area, with ease of use, and we have so many strong supporters there.
We have three competitive congressional districts, obviously a Senate race that we’re going to highlight, but I think that’s a winner for us in the end. At the end of the day, it was chosen for many, many reasons.
Texas Scorecard: What role will the Texas Republican Party play in the convention?
Gruters: Well, I spoke with the Texas chairman, the new one, this past weekend and spent some time with her. We’re going to incorporate them just like any normal convention.
A lot of the delegates will be chosen at the state level, so if people want to get involved, they can contact their local and state party. The parties, specifically the Texas party, will have a major role in what happens.
Texas Scorecard: So, are there going to be delegates like a traditional convention?
Gruters: Yes, and allocations are going to be somewhat similar to the last cycle.
Texas Scorecard: What can delegates expect over those two days? Is it going to be closer to a traditional convention or like a campaign rally or something else?
Gruters: It’s going to be a hybrid because there’s going to be no official business. The majority is about how we can highlight all these great things—I mean the Great American Comeback—and the ideas, the policies, and the people that are making that happen.
How can we push that agenda and make sure that the American public sees the contrast between what the president’s trying to do and the radical left and what they’re running on and highlighting with the election of these radical candidates on their side?
Texas Scorecard: Besides President Trump, what else are you hoping for in terms of programming over the two days?
Gruters: Well, I think D.C. elites have sold the American worker down the river over the last five decades. This is a Great American Comeback story.
This president cares about the average American more so than anybody else has ever cared, and he’s going after the American worker to make sure everybody has a chance to achieve the American Dream.
We’re going to work hard and highlight all the ideas, policies, and people that are helping with this Great American Comeback so America truly can achieve this Golden Age.
Texas Scorecard: Which of those accomplishments do you think resonate most with voters?
Gruters: I think the fact that he’s gone after the affordability issue with no taxes on tips, overtime, and Social Security. The fact that he’s bringing in record investment—I think it’s over $19 trillion—that’s not something that gets turned over overnight, but it will show results for decades to come and help bring up real wages across the board.
And the fact that, right there in Texas, the border is a great story. He stopped the release of illegal immigrants at the southern border, and fentanyl deaths are down at historic levels because he’s shut down that toxic poison from flowing into our country. It’s things like that I think we can highlight to help boost our chances.
Texas Scorecard: Last question for you. If this convention is successful, could midterm conventions become a regular tradition for the Republican Party?
Gruters: Listen, we hope this is going to have a major impact on how we operate.
But you’re not always going to have somebody like Donald Trump, who is dynamic and, like I described him, the greatest showman that’s ever lived in politics, to be able to host something like this and generate the enthusiasm and the messaging and the motivation factors that all play into making sure you’re successful at a midterm election.
But we have that person right now. He’s willing, and we’re going to use him because I think he’s the key and the path to victory for our candidates.
