The Republican National Committee designed its first-ever midterm convention as a celebration of Trump’s record. What he’s getting, so far, is a growing list of Republicans explaining why they can’t make it.
Most of the griping starts with the price tag.
The event runs September 9 and 10 at Dallas’s American Airlines Center, with tickets structured explicitly as a fundraiser. Pricing swings wildly by state, with Denton County near Dallas offering “honorary delegate” status for $20,000, California’s tiers climbing as high as a $250,000 “golden VIP member” package, and House members themselves asked to contribute at least $25,000 just to attend.
Former GOP Congressman Joe Walsh posted his reaction on X. “Same old story – Trump doesn’t give a f*** about his supporters or Republicans, he’ll pick their pockets every chance he’s got, all while he’s stuffing billions into his own pockets. Here we go again.”
Same old story – Trump doesn’t give a fuck about his supporters or Republicans, he’ll pick their pockets every chance he’s got, all while he’s stuffing billions into his own pockets. Here we go again.👇 @svdate https://t.co/Wsyn3bxSed
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) July 10, 2026
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An unnamed Republican consultant gave HuffPost an even harsher assessment. “It’s not a real convention. The RNC hasn’t written any rules for this. It’s just this grifter free-for-all.”
OpenSecrets turned up something odd in the paperwork too.
The nonprofit officially hosting the event is registered with the IRS at a Massachusetts address nearly 1,800 miles from Dallas, the same address used by MAGA Inc., Trump’s own pro-Trump super PAC, whose treasurer also serves as the event nonprofit’s listed custodian. The Dallas host committee told the Dallas Morning News it had raised $45 million in 27 days without naming a single donor.
Money alone doesn’t explain the empty seats, though. A Republican lawmaker running for reelection laid out the actual political calculation. “What is always the biggest issue when Trump is not on the ballot? Voters don’t show up. So what’s he trying to do? Motivate the base to come out.”
Texas-based Republican consultant Reb Wayne told CNN the unease has grown steadily as the date approaches. “I’ve heard people say, why are we doing this? What’s going on? It was a good idea at the time, but as we’ve gotten closer to it, I’m not sure it’s going to serve much benefit.”
Both convention nights collide directly with the NFL’s opening week, putting Trump and Vance up against the most-watched programming on American television. The dates also overlap with 25th anniversary commemorations of September 11, which pushed New Jersey’s Chris Smith and New York’s Andrew Garbarino to stay in their districts for local events.
Politico counts at least 45 Republican candidates and members who’ve said outright they’re not coming, with dozens more still undecided.
Bulwark reporter Joe Perticone ran his own version of that count, calling eight House Republicans in the tightest races in the country. Not one, he wrote, “confirmed they planned to attend.”
Featured image via Political Tribune Gallery
