Republicans are showing a surprising lack of enthusiasm for the upcoming party convention in Dallas, despite President Donald Trump’s ambitious vision for the event.
A Politico survey of more than 70 GOP candidates and members found that most either do not plan to attend or are still weighing whether to go.
Dozens more declined to share their plans at all, signaling widespread uncertainty about the value of making the trip just two months before Election Day.
Trump has touted the convention as a televised spectacle designed to put Republican candidates in front of midterm voters and top party donors heading into November.
The event, scheduled for September 9 and September 10 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, will be the first time the Republican National Committee has hosted a midterm election year convention.
Running on a compressed two-day schedule, the convention will be half as long as the RNC held in 2024, raising questions about how much ground the party can realistically cover.
The midweek timing creates additional headaches, as the event conflicts directly with the first two NFL games of the season, competing for television airtime and public attention.
The convention also bumps against the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks, a solemn occasion that could further crowd out coverage of the political gathering.
A GOP operative told The Hill that while Trump has promoted the convention for a year, candidates and incumbents simply have not had adequate time to prepare and plan their attendance.
“Lot of things made this very hasty that didn’t need to happen,” the operative said, capturing a sentiment that appears broadly shared among Republican officials weighing the trip.
The logistical concerns and calendar conflicts have fueled skepticism about whether the so-called “Trump-a-palooza” will generate enough media coverage to justify the considerable expense involved.
With control of Congress potentially on the line in November, the question of whether Dallas delivers a meaningful political boost or becomes a costly distraction looms large for the Republican Party.
