By Steve Holland
WASHINGTON, June 30 (Reuters) – President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he and his fellow Republicans will stage a convention in Dallas in September to rally voters for their party’s candidates ahead of November’s midterm congressional elections.
An off-year convention is unusual, with such events usually held only during presidential election years. Republicans are under pressure to hold on to control of Congress for Trump’s final two years in office and worry that voter unease over the economy and Trump’s decision to go to war with Iran could hurt their efforts.
“BIG NEWS! For the first time ever, the Republican Party will hold a MIDTERM CONVENTION. It will be in Dallas, Texas — One of my favorite places in the World. It will be fantastic!” Trump said in a social media post.
Trump plans to address the gathering, according to two Republican sources familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The move would further tie him to the election’s outcome at a moment when Republicans are confronting historic headwinds. The party that holds the White House in the first midterm elections after a presidential election usually loses congressional seats.
Trump said the event, scheduled for September 9 and 10, would bring together “hardworking Americans, our Great Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Manufacturers, First Responders, and Job Creators who are powering our Nation’s Golden Age.”
“It will be a RALLY like none other!” he said.
Republicans face a crucial test in Texas over whether they can continue to dominate politics in the state. Trump dealt a stunning blow to longtime incumbent Republican Senator John Cornyn by endorsing his opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Paxton easily defeated Cornyn in the Republican primary election.
This has set up a November battle between Paxton and Democrat James Talarico. Democrats see the scandal-tarred Paxton as vulnerable and are pouring money into the race in hopes of finally breaking Republicans’ grip on the state.
Trump wants to use the convention to rally his Make America Great Again faithful to vote in November, the sources said. Voter turnout in midterm elections is historically much lower than in presidential elections.
A Democratic takeover of the U.S. House of Representatives or Senate could complicate Trump’s agenda for his remaining time in office.
(Reporting by Steve Holland in Washington; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Matthew Lewis)
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