What to Expect for the RNC’s Midterm Convention

The Republican Party will make history this week when it holds its first-ever national midterm convention in Dallas, bringing President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, congressional leaders, governors and candidates from across the country together just two months before the 2026 midterm elections.

Photo from the 2026 Texas GOP State Convention

The Republican National Convention will take place September 9 and 10 at the American Airlines Center, with the event designed less as a traditional party convention and more as a massive political gathering aimed at energizing Republicans ahead of November’s elections. The RNC has announced more than 100 speakers and events, with programming focused on the Trump administration’s agenda, Republican candidates and the party’s effort to maintain and expand its congressional majorities.

Unlike the Republican National Convention held during presidential election years, there will be no presidential nomination, delegate voting or formal party platform business in Dallas. Instead, Republicans are using the convention as a national stage to promote the administration’s accomplishments, introduce voters to candidates in competitive races and rally the party’s base heading into the final stretch of the 2026 campaign.

President Trump will headline the first night of the convention, with his keynote address scheduled for 9:00 to 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time, or 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. Central Time. Vice President JD Vance will headline the second night during the same time block, with Trump also expected to participate in the closing portion of the final evening.

The two evenings will feature a long list of prominent Republican figures before the headliners take the stage. Among those announced are Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Attorney General Todd Blanche, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner and Donald Trump Jr.

Congressional Republicans will also have a major presence in Dallas, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso and Senator Tim Scott. The convention will also showcase Republican candidates running in competitive House and Senate races across the country as the party attempts to defend its congressional majorities in November.

Texas Republicans will be particularly prominent because the convention is being held in Dallas. Governor Greg Abbott, Senator Ted Cruz, Attorney General and Senate candidate Ken Paxton, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and several Republican congressional candidates are among the Texans expected to participate, giving the state’s Republican leadership an unusually large national audience.

For people attending the convention, however, getting inside the American Airlines Center is not as simple as showing up at the arena with an email confirmation. General Admission guests are required to begin their day at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, where tickets will be distributed and attendees will board the GOP Express shuttle to the convention.

Lone Star Park will open its gates at 10:00 a.m. Central Time on both September 9 and September 10, and the RNC recommends that General Admission guests arrive no later than 1:00 p.m. The organization says ticket pickup is first come, first served, so arriving early is important for anyone who wants to avoid a long wait or potential problems securing a place on the shuttle.

Guests must present their convention confirmation email at Lone Star Park, receive a physical convention ticket and register that ticket using the QR code on its back. The physical ticket must then be worn on the provided lanyard throughout the convention, and some tickets will have a group number indicating when the holder can enter the American Airlines Center.

The GOP Express shuttles are mandatory for General Admission attendees and will begin running at approximately 2:00 p.m. The buses will take guests directly from Lone Star Park to the American Airlines Center, where they will enter through the main security checkpoint and undergo United States Secret Service screening.

The RNC has divided each day into an opening block from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. and official programming from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. That means attendees arriving at Lone Star Park around midday should have time to complete ticket pickup and transportation before the main program gets underway, while those specifically interested in the evening headliners should expect to remain at the convention through the final program block.

There are also significant security restrictions for anyone attending. Clear bags cannot exceed 12 by 6 by 12 inches, while small clutches or wallets cannot exceed 5 by 7 by 1 inch, and backpacks, purses, luggage, cross-body bags, fanny packs and similar larger bags are prohibited. Firearms, ammunition, pepper spray, drones, coolers, glass and metal containers, selfie sticks, signs, placards and numerous other items are also prohibited.

Food and beverage concessions will be available at both Lone Star Park and the American Airlines Center, while the official convention merchandise store will operate inside the arena throughout both days. Free parking is available at Lone Star Park on a first-come, first-served basis, and rideshare passengers should also use Lone Star Park as their destination rather than going directly to the American Airlines Center.

The convention comes at a critical moment for Republicans. With control of Congress on the ballot in November, the Dallas gathering gives the party an opportunity to put its national leadership, congressional candidates and Trump administration on the same stage while demonstrating its organizational strength heading into the final weeks of the campaign, hopefully boosting Texas Republicans who are fighting to retain control of the State this November.