Overview
- President Donald Trump announced the convention on Tuesday and set it for Sept. 9–10 in Dallas as a voter-mobilization and messaging event before the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
- Trump says the two-day gathering will blend policy and entertainment and focus on tax cuts, border security, lower living costs and public safety as core themes.
- Republicans view a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down limits on party campaign financing as a near-term boost that could increase party spending and influence this fall.
- The convention is unconventional because national party conventions are normally held only in presidential election years, a shift driven in part by falling GOP approval in polls.
- The stakes are control of Congress: Republicans hold narrow majorities in both chambers and face a history of midterm losses, so party leaders see the Dallas event as a high-priority effort to protect their margins.