Full Breakdown
RNC Midterm Convention in Dallas Faces Attendance Challenges Amid Low Trump Approval
9/9/2026, 2:05:29 AM
Convention Launch and Schedule
The Republican National Committee (RNC) opened its four-day Midterm Convention on September 7, 2026 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The program runs Wednesday and Thursday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Central Time, featuring 109 speakers and programming items. Senate Majority Leader John Thune does not appear on the published speaker list, and First Lady Melania Trump is also absent.
Ticket Lottery and Attendance Costs
To fill seats, the RNC has instituted a public lottery offering free front-row tickets and VIP treatment. Donors who click a text-message link are entered into the draw, while those willing to pay can purchase access: $250,000 secures a round-table seat with Donald Trump plus an optional $88,600 for a commemorative photo; $20,000 grants “honorary delegate” status with a Texas shirt and cowboy hat. The RNC projects about 20,000 attendees, a figure notably lower than the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, which drew an estimated 50,000 participants.
Declining Trump Approval and Party Concerns
Recent polling underscores the party’s dilemma. A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted August 28-31 surveyed 1,167 adults and recorded Trump’s approval at 33 percent—the lowest reading of his presidency in that poll’s history. A University of Massachusetts Amherst survey taken August 21-26 found Trump’s overall approval at 32 percent with 64 percent disapproval, and noted Republican approval had fallen from 89 percent in April 2025 to 7.
Official Statements & Responses
RNC Chairman Joe Gruters framed the convention as a thematic showcase, stating, “Over two action-packed days, we will take Americans through the defining issues of our Party’s agenda and what is at stake in November.” The RNC also highlighted the event’s role in boosting Texas Senate nominee Ken Paxton, whose poll numbers show a roughly even race with Democrat James Talarico.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Over two action-packed days, we will take Americans through the defining issues of our Party's agenda and what is at stake in November,” — Joe Gruters, RNC Chairman “Over two action-packed days, we will take Americans through the defining issues of our Party's agenda and what is at stake in November,” — RNC Chairman Joe Gruters
