President Donald Trump has urged Republicans to rally behind his administration ahead of November’s midterm elections, telling supporters that the party must “surge forward” despite difficult election forecasts, low approval ratings and growing voter concerns over prices and the war with Iran.
Trump made the appeal Wednesday at an unusual Republican midterm convention in Dallas, Texas, where the party is placing the president at the centre of its campaign strategy for the Nov. 3 elections.
The two-day gathering is designed to persuade Trump’s supporters to treat the election as if the president himself were on the ballot, even though his name will not appear on the ballot in the midterms.
“In 55 days, Americans will be going to the polls in one of the most important elections in our country’s history,” Trump told the crowd.
“Your vote will decide whether our country stumbles at the starting gate of the next 250 years or surges forward and never ever looks back.”
The election outlook remains challenging for Republicans.
Decision Desk HQ projects Democrats to win control of the House of Representatives with 230 seats to Republicans’ 205, while Democrats are projected to take a 51-49 majority in the Senate.
Trump’s approval rating has also fallen to about 33% in recent polling, adding to concerns within the Republican Party about whether his unpopularity could hurt candidates in competitive races.
The president used his keynote address to argue that Republican fortunes remain closely tied to his presidency and urged his supporters to turn out in November.
“I’m asking you to pretend that I’m on the ballot — I’m on the ballot, I’m on the ballot — just one more time,” Trump said.
“Because if we lose, you’re going to lose your border, you’re going to lose your tax cuts, you’re going to lose your safety and security.”
The Republican strategy is built around Trump’s ability to mobilise his core supporters, while avoiding further alienating independent voters who have become dissatisfied with his presidency.
Those concerns include rising living costs, inflation, gasoline prices that have topped $4 a gallon and the continuing war with Iran.
The unusual convention, held at the American Airlines Center, is the first national Republican gathering of its kind ahead of a midterm election. Unlike a presidential-year convention, it has no formal nomination business and is instead being used to rally the party, promote Trump’s record and support candidates in closely contested races.
Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters has informally dubbed the gathering “Trumpapalooza” because of the president’s dominant role in the event.
Trump is scheduled to return Thursday for the convention finale, following a keynote address by Vice President JD Vance.
Cabinet members, congressional leaders and candidates in closely watched House and Senate races are also taking part in the gathering.
However, some Republicans facing competitive races have chosen to stay in their home states rather than attend, reflecting concerns about being too closely associated with Trump as they seek to appeal to voters beyond his core supporters.
Inside the American Airlines Center, however, there was little visible sign of Republican anxiety about November, as supporters rallied around Trump and his message.
The convention also featured a video address from Democratic Sen. John Fetterman, who has increasingly clashed with his party’s progressive wing on issues including Israel.
Trump has sought to frame the November election as a choice between continuing his administration’s policies and handing control of Congress to Democrats.
He told Republicans that their turnout would determine whether his administration could continue pursuing its agenda.
“Your vote will decide whether our country stumbles at the starting gate of the next 250 years or surges forward and never ever looks back,” Trump said.
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