Trump Rallies Republicans in Texas as New Poll Raises Warning Signs

The unprecedented Republican Midterm Convention seeks to mobilize Trump voters before November, while new polling shows signs of declining support even in a state crucial to the GOP.

Donald Trump, JD Vance, and Republican candidates will gather in Dallas on September 9 and 10 for the first Republican Midterm Convention, according to EFE and Fox News.

• Why it matters: Trump will not appear on the ballot in November, but the GOP needs his supporters to vote if it hopes to maintain control of Congress.

Trump Seeks to Transfer His Electoral Strength to GOP Candidates

National conventions typically take place during presidential election years. This time, Republicans are trying a different strategy less than two months before the congressional elections.

Fox News reports that the gathering aims to mobilize the Republican base and highlight the achievements of Trump and congressional Republicans.

EFE reported that Jaime Flórez, Hispanic communications director for the Republican National Committee, denied that the Republican Midterm Convention is a “rescue mission” in response to potential election losses.

• The challenge: Part of the coalition that returned Trump to the White House has lower turnout when his name does not appear directly on the ballot, according to Fox News.

Trump will participate in the two-day event at the American Airlines Center. Vice President JD Vance will be among the other central figures.

Texas Poll Shows Signs of Erosion for Trump

The convention comes as a poll from Overton Insights and the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) offers less favorable results for Trump among likely Texas voters.

The Center Square reported that 55.8% disapprove of the president’s job performance, including 26.2% of the Republicans surveyed.

• On tariffs: 54.1% oppose Trump’s tariff policies, compared with 45.9% who support them.
• On immigration: The state is nearly evenly divided, with 49.7% supporting Trump’s policies and 49.8% opposing them.

The poll surveyed 1,167 likely voters between August 24 and 26 and has a margin of error of ±2.9 percentage points, according to TPPF.

The results provide a snapshot of current opinion and do not establish that Trump is losing Texas or predict the outcome of the November elections.

Texas Hosts Several Races That Could Affect Control of Congress

The Center Square notes that several Texas races have tightened, including contests in areas previously considered favorable to Republicans.

The Texas Tribune also describes this election cycle as one of the state’s most competitive in years and emphasizes Texas’s importance in determining control of both the Senate and House of Representatives.

• What’s at stake: Republicans are defending their majorities in both chambers, meaning lost seats could limit Trump’s ability to advance his agenda.

The key question in Dallas will be whether a convention centered on the Trump can transform his ability to mobilize supporters into midterm votes for other Republican candidates.

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SOURCE: EFE / Texas Tribune / Dallas Tribune / Fox News / The Center Square