The Republican midterm convention was an idea from the same person who has given the United States tariffs, the war with Iran, measles, healthcare cuts, tax cuts for billionaires, ICE roaming American streets, and the passage of the entire Republican agenda in one piece of legislation.
PolitcusUSA is 100% independent news and opinion. Support us by becoming a subscriber.
To say that Republicans are not enthused by Trump’s convention is an understatement. A majority of 70 Republicans in close elections said that they would not be attending Trump’s convention. Republican candidates are telling Trump not to campaign with them and telling the White House to keep him away.
The Washington Post reported that Republicans are taking Trump off their websites: “At least seven Republican House candidates in battleground races have de-emphasized or removed mentions of Trump and his priorities on their campaign websites ahead of the general election, according to a Washington Post analysis.”
None of this means Republicans are moving left or changing their policies. Candidates are trying to sell MAGA without Trump. The president has repeatedly said that he is MAGA, and his supporters agree with him.
All of this puts Trump’s midterm convention in an awkward place.
Trump is trying to hold a convention that his party members don’t want to attend, but that same party is afraid of turning off Trump’s supporters if they too obviously break with him.
Fewer than 100 Republican candidates were scheduled to attend. To boost attendance, Trump made the convention free, and Republicans still aren’t showing up.