Dems Ready to Thwart Effects of ‘Trump-a-palooza’

It is being called “Trump-a-palooza” — a first-of-its-kind midterm convention by the Republican National Committee.

And the Democrats are ready for it.

“I don’t know who we have to pay to thank the Republicans for doing this at this time, but I’m happy they’re coming. I hope it gets as much airtime as possible,” said Matt Angle, founder of the Lone Star Project, a Texas-based Democratic PAC. “It gives Democrats another event to organize around and another opportunity to make the case in a convincing way.” 

The two-day event, set to take place next week in Dallas, is designed to ramp up excitement about the upcoming midterm elections.

Trump-backed Attorney General Ken Paxton faces Democrat James Talarico in the Texas Senate race, which will be a major focus of the convention.

At the same time, organizations are planning to rally in downtown Dallas to draw focus away from the convention.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries announced on Friday a four-member House delegation would be headed to Dallas to show the contrast between the two parties. 

Close to 100 members and candidates are set to attend the convention. The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) has distributed more than 2,000 tickets, a source told The Hill.

The RNC has said thousands will be in attendance.

Vice President JD Vance will startthe first night with a speech. President Donald Trump will deliver the closing-night keynote address.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson are among those expected to attend.

“We are excited to be in Dallas for a first-of-its-kind midterm convention that will show the American people exactly what’s at stake in November,” RNC Chairman Joe Gruters said in a media release. 

However, many candidates and lawmakers have said they will not attend, citing costs, conflicts and the campaign trail.

The event has been promoted as a chance to highlight GOP candidates and to show the difference between the GOO an Democrats on such issues as affordability, immigration and healthcare. 

Democrats are ready to showcase that contrast. 

“Americans are being crushed by rising costs. Republicans don’t care—they’re in Dallas, celebrating an out of touch President whose tariffs and wars are making things worse. We’re going to hold them accountable,” said Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) in a post on X. 

Crow will be joined by Reps. Robert Garcia, (D-Calif.) Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) and Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.) in Dallas as the four-member House delegation.

“While swing seat House Republicans try to hide from their record of raising costs on working families, gutting Medicaid to fund tax breaks for billionaire donors and supporting a reckless war of choice in Iran, House Democrats will be present to hold them accountable,” Jeffries said in a release.

Indivisible, a progressive grassroots organization that started during Trump’s first term,recently announced Texas as part of its Battlegrounds program, it a top target for the midterms. 

“That is huge. No one has considered Texas to be a swing state or a battleground state in three decades,” Mitchell said of the national organization’s move. “This is the first time, the first year that I’ve ever felt actually, really hopeful about the possibility that we could really swing the state, even more so than 2018 with Beto.”

That was the year, Beto O’Rourke came within a few points of toppling Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). 

Meanwhile, Trump’s approval rating is roughly 16 points underwater in the latest DDHQ averages, with just 40% of Americans approving of his job handling.