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The first-ever GOP midterm convention had just about everything: a surprise Democratic appearance, impassioned speeches, and a promise of $5,000 to every U.S. adult if Republicans hold on to both chambers of Congress.
Not so sure about the reality of that last one, but it makes for a good headline.
The primetime spectacle appeared to be everything President Donald Trump envisioned, if not more. And Trump, who is not running in November and is in his final term as president, offered the same message that he has for a few weeks now:
“I’m asking you to pretend that I’m on the ballot,” he told supporters. “I’m on the ballot. I’m on the ballot. Just one more time.”
That message seems to have resonated with the megafans who were in attendance. It’s still up in the air whether it will land with voters elsewhere who may be undecided about which party they want to hand the reins in Washington.
“The purpose of doing a midterm convention is to get Republicans excited about the midterms, to fire up the base, get people out to vote, get people to go volunteer on campaigns, donate to campaigns, maybe even travel to some swing districts that help vulnerable candidates,” Utah Rep. Celeste Maloy, who attended the convention, told me in an interview. “I would say that goal is being well met.”
The convention was surely a production. The set-up was inspired by the Republican National Convention that takes place every presidential election year, but there were obvious differences — chief among them, this is the midterm election and the stakes are somewhat lower.
But you wouldn’t be able to guess that if you were just tuning in as a stranger. Republicans want this to be a big deal, and they’re relying on their most influential party member to drive voter turnout.
“President Trump pulls out voters who don’t normally go out and vote, and he recognizes that this midterm is going to have a big impact on how much of his agenda and his legacy can stay intact,” Maloy told me. “He is on the ballot because his policies are on the ballot. If we can hold the House and the Senate, we can continue to put policies into place that conservatives like. If we lose control of either of those chambers, then it’s going to be hard to do that. And I think it’s something people need to be reminded about.”
To do that? The Trump White House is going all in.
After two days and more than 100 speakers, Republican voters who made the trek to Dallas got to hear from nearly every corner of Trump’s Cabinet.
You’ve probably seen contradicting reports on how many people actually attended. While Trump said the was filled to the very top, some reporters or attendees there noted how it was less-than-maximum-capacity earlier in the day during some of the more lowkey speeches.
But lawmakers who were there told me it felt full even if all the seats didn’t necessarily have a body in them.
And even though it could be seen as risky to tie yourself to a president with sinking approval ratings, most Republicans don’t seem to mind — those who were there, anyway. Some vulnerable candidates opted to stay out on the campaign trail rather than spend time in Dallas, but for those who were there, they were eager to go all-in on Trump.
“I think whether people are moderate or independent or actual haters, however you might want to classify their regard to President Trump, all of them know that he’s on the ballot,” Utah Rep. Mike Kennedy, who also attended the event, told me in an interview. “He’s been the dominant political figure for 10 years. I mean it’s been going on for a long time, and everybody knows who he is. So to embrace that instead of trying to run away from it” is happening.
So … is that message resonating with voters? Here’s what one told me:
“I think that they did a good job establishing the argument that when it’s a midterm election — and they say this every election, that this election is the most important of our lifetimes, right? — but this one really is turning into less about Republicans versus Democrats, and more about where the Democrat Party has kind of been taken over by democratic socialists, and essentially some communists,” Alexis Ence, a St. George resident who appeared on stage with Trump both nights of the convention, told me in a phone interview.
More from Alexis: “I think it’s important not just for Republican voters but just American voters to consider that dynamic. When he ran a couple years ago, we had all of these crises that the Biden administration had set up, like the open border, we were running on all of those things, but now that we’re fixing all of those problems, the argument then turns like, what does the future of America look like here? And so I loved it. I thought they did a great job.”
Of course, we will have to wait and see if that resonates with voters elsewhere in the country. A convention like this is obviously going to attract the strongest of supporters, and those who are at home and remain undecided are the audience they’re trying to reach.
Will they? Maloy seems to think so.
“When people leave here, they can go back home and talk to their friends and neighbors who aren’t necessarily going to travel to Dallas for a midterm convention, but are going to vote and are trying to decide which way to vote,” she told me. “Are we better off than we were before? Just like any other organization, you have to get people together in the same room and talk through what you’re doing and what your goals are, so that you can work together towards those goals. So it’ll spread beyond Dallas this week.”
Stories Driving the Week
- Daily dose: Utah Gov. Spencer Cox wanted to sell “The Daily Show” host Jon Stewart, whose program is built almost entirely on deriding conservative points of view, on his “Disagree Better” campaign. It didn’t go as planned. My colleague Brigham Tomco has more.
- DOJ in Utah: The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson after she refused to turn sensitive voter information over to the federal government, according to a letter sent by the agency’s Civil Rights Division.
- Stay-at-home vs. working parents: A limited federal funding program has been thrust into the spotlight amid intense debate among conservatives on whether the resource should expand who is eligible for the assistance.
Senate Republicans race to the finish
The Senate will return from its five-week recess on Monday, and there are several legislative items on their plate.
They’ll have just three weeks to get as many of those priorities finished before leaving town until after the midterm elections. And there’s a lot they want to get done.
So, what’s on that list — and what are the chances they can actually get it done?
A bipartisan coalition is pushing to get their highly anticipated college sports bill across the finish line, a proposal to establish federal regulations for name, image and likeness deals for student-athletes. The framework has been hotly debated for over a year, but it still is unclear whether it has enough support from both parties to pass during their three-week stint.
There also may not be much appetite from Democrats to hand Republicans a win ahead of the midterms — and there certainly is some hesitancy to anger potential voters who oppose the bill.
Senators will also try to revive momentum on their crypto bill, which has also been in the works for several months now. Similar to the college sports bill, it’s an issue that has some strong supporters but also some staunch opponents — and it may take more than three weeks to get that sorted.
Will the Senate do anything with Republicans’ big plans to get a third reconciliation bill through Congress?
If you remember, the House passed a third reconciliation bill — a fancy procedural tool that allows Republicans to skirt a 60-vote filibuster in the Senate, so long as it complies with strict budgetary and tax requirements — in July before leaving for the August recess.
The framework sought $95 billion to cover defense spending and election integrity, among other things. But even though it passed the House, it hasn’t gotten anywhere in the Senate, making it pretty clear it won’t get approved before the midterm elections.
If the Senate takes it up, there are likely to be changes. If that happens, it’ll have to go back to the House for approval.
But it’s not really clear if the Senate will even consider it while they’re back during this preelection sprint.
Some other issues the Senate could consider, but may run out of time: legislation related to the Iran war, which is set to be a major issue heading into the midterms. Senators from agriculture-heavy states will also want to see some movement on the farm bill, which has been stalled due to Sen. Mitch McConnell’s prolonged absence.
Speaking of, all eyes are watching the Kentucky Republican to see if he will make his grand return to the Senate next week. He’s been gone since early June because of medical issues.
Quick Hits
From the Hill: Proposal to extend childcare subsidies to stay-at-home parents sparks conservative debate. … Republicans press Supreme Court in case over religious gatherings at home.
From the White House: Trump reduced Bears Ears by 91%. What does the law really say? …
White House removes “Build the Wall” game days after arcade launch. … Trump signs bill for monument on National Mall commemorating Medal of Honor recipients.
From the courts: “Consider a pardon”: Lindsay Clancy’s attorney makes direct appeal to Trump. … Trump administration sues Kansas schools over gender identity guidance, faces setback in California sports case.