Some Republicans are skipping Trump’s midterm convention after House members were asked for $25,000 to attend

National party conventions are normally reserved for presidential election years, when delegates formally nominate a candidate. Republicans are breaking that pattern this week with a two-day gathering in Dallas that has no nominee to pick and no party business on the agenda. The event, held September 9 and 10, is instead a hybrid rally, fundraiser, and campaign launch built entirely around President Donald Trump.

Some House Republicans are skipping it after being asked to pay 25,000 dollars for tickets and lodging, according to AP. Speaker Mike Johnson said some members would rather campaign at home with early voting approaching. Some state and local parties offered smaller packages, but many strategists still think competitive-district candidates gain more from local issues than from a national spectacle built around an unpopular president.

RNC Chairman Joe Gruters has informally nicknamed the gathering Trump-a-Palooza. Organizers built roughly 12 hours of programming across the two nights, featuring more than 100 speakers. These include Cabinet officials, congressional leaders, candidates, and nonpolitical guests. Trump is scheduled to speak both nights, delivering Wednesday’s keynote and returning Thursday after Vice President JD Vance to close out the event.

This convention is turning into an awkward flex for some Republicans

Private donors are financing the event through a Dallas host committee, which has said it could cost as much as 45 million dollars. The strategy behind it is straightforward, as Trump’s team believes the gathering will solve a turnout problem. His base votes reliably when he is on the ballot but has historically shown up less when he is not.

Trump began floating the idea of a midterm convention about a year ago, hoping to make November feel like one of his own campaigns. He has encouraged supporters to treat the election as if he were running again. That matters most for the House, where Republicans hold an extremely narrow majority that could flip with a small shift in seats.

However, the convention is also a gamble, as Trump’s popularity has cratered. The latest Reuters/Ipsos polling puts his approval at 33 percent, the lowest of his current presidency. The same survey found Democrats considerably more enthusiastic about the midterms than Republicans.

Some 71 percent disapprove of how Trump is handling the cost of living, and for the first time in nearly a decade, voters now trust Democrats over Republicans on the economy. Even the Iran war is dragging on him, with only 36 percent approving of it. The published schedule has no dedicated segment on Iran, focusing instead on border security, tax cuts, and public safety.

Given those risks, plenty of vulnerable Republicans are staying away entirely. An AP survey of more than four dozen Republican candidates found a majority either would not attend, had not decided, or did not respond, part of a broader pattern of some Republicans distancing themselves from the president as his numbers slide.

Despite the absences, the event is far from a bust. Roughly 100 Republican lawmakers and candidates are expected in Dallas, including Senate nominees Ken Paxton of Texas and Mike Rogers of Michigan. Vance is also on the schedule, and speaking right before Trump gives him a big stage in front of the party’s most committed donors.

Dallas itself is a strategic choice, as Texas is hosting a competitive Senate race between Paxton and Democrat James Talarico. Hosting there lets the party nationalize its message while pouring resources into a race it cannot afford to lose. However, Democrats tried something similar in 1974, 1978, and 1982 before deciding the payoff was not worth it.

Democrats have chosen a different path this cycle, skipping a national gathering of their own to focus on local campaigning instead. They are using the Dallas convention to paint Republicans as out of touch with voters worried about rent, groceries, and health care.

Republicans are betting that mobilizing Trump’s base outweighs the risk of his low approval ratings. Whether that bet pays off will likely shape the balance of power in Congress heading into 2027.