Trump’s Midterm Convention Gets Humiliating Response

Donald Trump’s planned midterm convention is already creating a political headache for Republicans, with candidates in some of the nation’s tightest races appearing reluctant to embrace the event.

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Trump is expected to headline a first-ever GOP midterm convention in Dallas in September as Republicans fight to protect their narrow majority in Congress. The gathering, dubbed “Trumpapalooza” by Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters, is designed to rally the party and showcase candidates ahead of a crucial election season.

Of the 28 Republican candidates contacted by Politico about attending the convention, only two responded.

The hesitation comes as Trump faces some of his weakest polling numbers in months amid his deeply unpopular war in Iran, which has sent gas prices soaring above $5 a gallon, exacerbating the cost-of-living crisis.

As a result, some Republicans are now weighing whether close alignment with the president and his convention could hurt them with undecided voters.

Former Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake told Politico that candidates in competitive statewide races may have little incentive to attend.

“The state party has to be the cheerleader, obviously—but the candidates themselves, like [likely Republican gubernatorial nominee] Andy Biggs, who is likely to be the Republican nominee, I can’t see him wanting to go and tie himself to the president at that stage, right before early voting starts,” Flake said.

A Biggs campaign spokesperson stopped short of saying whether the candidate would attend the September convention, telling Politico that the campaign’s attention remains on the July 21 primary and that they “haven’t made any post-primary travel plans yet.”

One Republican donor, speaking anonymously about internal party dynamics, was even more direct: “The less you’re associated with Trump, the better.”

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Flake argued that attending the Dallas gathering could also come at a cost, taking candidates away from campaigning in their own states while potentially forcing them to defend controversial issues.

“It’s really going to be the Trump show,” Flake said, adding that the president is likely to discuss “2020 and election conspiracies,” topics he said “don’t play well in Arizona.”

“It’s not something that statewide candidates in Arizona want to talk about at that stage,” Flake said. “That’s when they’re wanting to talk about what they’re going to deliver to Arizona or pointing out foibles of the Democrats or whatever else, and it makes it difficult to do that if they’re in Dallas tethered to the president.”

Republican officials, however, argue that distancing from Trump would be a mistake. An RNC official said the party’s strategy is built around the belief that Trump remains an electoral advantage, particularly in turning out Republican voters.

“You’re not seeing Republicans shy away from Trump in the same way you saw maybe in 2018 and you’re seeing a lot more partnership with the White House and political team,” the official told Politico.

The official added that even candidates who skip the convention may still need Trump’s support to energize the Republican base.

The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment.

Trump has continued to wield influence in Republican primaries, maintaining a strong record with candidates he has endorsed. A Newsweek tally found that he had backed 14 primary winners and suffered one loss as of early July.