The Republican National Committee (RNC) on Saturday released the lineup of speakers for the 2026 GOP midterm convention in Dallas.

“This election comes down to one simple choice: lower costs, lower taxes, secure borders, and common sense versus higher taxes, wide open borders, and the radical liberal agenda the Democrat Party has fully embraced,” said RNC Chairman Joe Gruters.

“Republicans are the party of hardworking, patriotic Americans who believe in a fair day’s pay, safe streets, secure borders, and a government that gets out of our way and lets Americans win again. Democrats have chosen a different path. They have chosen a path hijacked by the radical Left and defined by their most extreme, out-of-touch, anti-American views. Come November, the American people are going to see this choice clearly and they are going to deliver a landslide for common sense,” he continued.

“The Republican Convention will feature a keynote address on night one from President Donald J. Trump and unforgettable closing remarks from the President on night two. Vice President JD Vance will deliver his keynote address to the Republican Convention on night two,” a press release read.

“Additional speakers will be announced in the days ahead,” it added.

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Other Keynote Speakers include:

  • Scott Bessent
  • Todd Blanche
  • Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
  • Dr. Mehmet Oz
  • Scott Turner
  • Karoline Leavitt
  • Donald Trump Jr.

Axios shared further:

House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso and National Republican Senatorial Committee Chair Tim Scott are among the congressional leaders who will appear.

One name that is notably absent from the list is Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who Trump has attacked for not doing more to pass election security legislation. But Thune is scheduled to be in Dallas next week for fundraising, and organizers say they are still adding names to the list.

Republicans in some of the toughest races aren’t attending, including Sen. Susan Collins in Maine and former Sen. John Sununu in New Hampshire.

Republicans will use the convention to mobilize Trump voters, who party strategists worry will be less inclined to turn out than they were two years ago.

Much of the two-day event will be focused on branding Democrats as far-outside-the-mainstream socialists.

The convention will put Trump onstage alongside Republicans running in many of the races that will determine control of Congress.

Elected Officials who will appear include:

  • Senator Ted Cruz (TX)
  • Senator Jon Husted (OH)
  • Senator Dave McCormick (PA)
  • Governor Greg Abbott (TX)
  • Lt. Governor of Texas Dan Patrick
  • Attorney General of Texas Ken Paxton, Candidate for U.S. Senate
  • Rep. Rob Bresnahan (PA-08)
  • Rep. Mike Collins (GA-10), Candidate for U.S. Senate
  • Rep. Monica De La Cruz (TX-15)
  • Rep. Byron Donalds (FL-19), Candidate for Governor of Florida
  • Rep. Brandon Gill (TX-26)
  • Rep. Brian Jack (GA-03)
  • Rep. Mike Lawler (NY-17)
  • Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (FL-13)
  • Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (PA-07)
  • Rep. Jason Smith (MO-08)
  • Rep. Derrick Van Orden (WI-03)
  • Mayor Eric Johnson, Mayor of Dallas, TX

Candidates who will appear include:

  • Captain Mike Bouchard, Candidate for U.S. House (MI-10)
  • Laurie Buckhout, Candidate for U.S. House (NC-01)
  • Greg Cunningham, Candidate for U.S. House (NM-02)
  • Jay Feely, Candidate for U.S. House (AZ-01)
  • Eric Flores, Candidate for U.S. House (TX-34)
  • Carlos De La Cruz, Candidate for U.S. House (TX-35)
  • Mike LiPetri, Candidate for U.S. House (NY-03)
  • Derek Merrin, Candidate for U.S. House (OH-09)
  • Marty O’Donnell, Candidate for U.S. House (NV-03)
  • Mike Rogers, Candidate for U.S. Senate (MI)
  • Tano Tijerina, Candidate for U.S. House (TX-28)
  • Michael Whatley, Candidate for U.S. Senate (NC)

The convention will take place September 9-10.

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However, some Republicans expressed doubt that the convention will positively impact the GOP’s midterm election performance.

USA TODAY explained:

The midterm showcase is also facing grumbling from some Republicans who say it is a distraction from meeting with voters. Several GOP candidates in close House and Senate races remain noncommittal about attending the convention, while some have made clear they won’t be there ‒ including Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who is running in one of the most pivotal races to decide control of the Senate.

And there are questions about how many people will tune in to a show that may not be widely broadcast and is competing with the opening two nights of the NFL regular season.

Control of Congress hangs in the balance, and with it the potential for Democrats to put a check on the president’s final two years in office, making Trump’s bet on his own powers of persuasion a high-stakes gamble on the future of his presidency.

“If you think he’s a drag on the ticket due to low approval ratings, concern about his handling of the economy, and the ongoing war in Iran, centering the election on his performance seems especially risky,” said Joshua Blank, research director for the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas.

The GOP’s big Dallas pep rally came together over the last year at Trump’s urging. The president spoke to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, about it shortly before Thanksgiving last year. “I said ‘That’s not a thing,’ and he said ‘make it a thing!’” Johnson said at a recent campaign event.

Republicans have never held a midterm convention, but Trump is eager to blunt Democrats’ momentum.

In a warning sign for Republicans, a series of off-year and special election victories for Democrats over the past year ‒ combined with Democrats consistently outperforming their 2024 margins ‒ has signaled a potential “blue wave” in November.

With Trump back in office, Democrats are eager to go to the polls.

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