RNC Votes to Clear Path for 'Trump-Palooza' Midterm Convention
RNC amends bylaws to allow a midterm convention, requiring at least 60 days' notice and naming Dallas and Las Vegas as leading host contenders, officials said.
Overview
The Republican National Committee voted unanimously at a Jan. 23 winter meeting in Santa Barbara to amend its bylaws to permit a special midterm convention and require organizers to give at least 60 days' notice, RNC officials said.
The move clears procedural barriers for a President Donald Trump-backed 'midterm convention' intended to centralize his message in the 2026 midterms as polling shows waning support for the 79-year-old president, party officials and advisers said.
White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles said in remarks that the midterm convention would mobilize low-propensity Trump voters, while Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin called the idea risky for Republicans, party officials said.
RNC sources identified Dallas and Las Vegas as leading host contenders and said the party expects the White House to set a date and location, with advisers anticipating an early fall timing rather than the traditional summer window.
Political scientists and some Republican strategists warned that turning the midterms into a referendum on Trump risks saddling down-ballot candidates, and the decision has prompted Democratic officials to consider holding their own midterm gathering, according to advisers and analysts.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present coverage that lets GOP messaging set the agenda: the piece emphasizes procedural approval and GOP voices while omitting dissenting or independent analysis. Editorial language (e.g., “clears the way,” “sunny Santa Barbara”) and early placement of optimistic GOP statements normalize the midterm-convention idea without critical context.
Sources (9)
FAQ
The RNC unanimously voted to amend its bylaws to permit a special midterm convention outside presidential election cycles, requiring at least 60 days' notice, with no business conducted during the gathering.
The convention aims to boost President Trump's message, energize low-propensity voters, showcase the administration's achievements, and help Republicans defy historical midterm losses for the party in power.
Dallas and Las Vegas are identified as leading contenders to host the midterm convention.
Advisers anticipate an early fall timing, though some sources suggest alignment with the RNC's traditional summer meeting in July or August.
Democratic officials are considering holding their own midterm gathering in response.
History
5 sources