Midterm elections have historically been a burden for the party occupying the White House, and in 2026 the GOP faces that challenge without the president's name on any ballot. To counter the headwinds, Republicans are convening in Dallas for a midterm convention unprecedented on their side of the aisle. The gathering comes at a moment of internal division over foreign policy and other issues, and that tension is a central part of the story.

From The Epoch Times:

For the GOP in 2026—a party reliant on a base animated by President Donald Trump—the absence of the name "Trump" from ballots could make retaining the House and Senate even harder.

Republicans hope to overcome those obstacles with the help of a midterm convention in Dallas on Sept. 9 and 10. While Democrats held several midterm gatherings during the 1970s and 1980s, the event marks the first such convention on the GOP side.

The gathering comes amid internal debates among Republicans and conservatives over the Iran War, data centers, and other important issues. Those divisions, alongside relatively strong polling for Democrats and low approval ratings for Trump, could spell trouble for the party in November.

Previews from the Republican National Committee promise 109 talks and speakers outlining tax and health care reform under Republican leadership, showcases of key candidates, and a program honoring the late Charlie Kirk on the anniversary of his assassination. Trump will deliver the keynote address on the first night and closing remarks on the second, with Vice President JD Vance delivering the second night's keynote. Cabinet officials are set to dominate the rest of the marquee slots, including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Attorney General Todd Blanche and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, along with former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and Donald Trump Jr. House and Senate leaders are slated to address the gathering, as are candidates in competitive races, including Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Georgia Senate hopeful Rep. Mike Collins, Rep. Mike Lawler of New York and Michigan Senate hopeful Mike Rogers.

Not everyone will be there. Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina, who just lost a special Senate primary to Trump-backed Sen. Darline Graham, told reporters he planned to skip the event. Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska will be in Ukraine. Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee said he would not attend after being told his campaign committee would have to pay $25,000, a figure the RNC did not confirm. The cost prompted criticism from former Austin Mayor Steve Adler, who warned that charging candidates "for a seat in the very cycle they need every dollar is a questionable theory of how you win a midterm."

The convention's policy agenda notably omits several hot-button topics, including the Iran War and the spread of data centers, neither of which appears on the announced program even as they divide the party's base. A parallel gathering, FORUM's "Beyond the Midterms: The American Future," is being held nearby and will address some of those splits. Meanwhile, the Texas Senate race between Paxton and Democratic state Rep. James Talarico, which polling suggests is tight, will be closely watched.

The tensions on display in Dallas are a reminder that no political coalition, however energized, can sustain itself on personality or momentum alone. Scripture calls Believers to seek unity while holding fast to truth, and to guard against the divisions that can fracture a movement and discourage the very voters it depends on. For us intercessors, this moment is also an invitation to pray for leaders who carry heavy responsibilities, for wisdom in weighing difficult questions of war and peace, and for a nation that so often looks to politics for the security only God can provide.

Let us pray for our leaders as they gather in Dallas, for unity among those who seek to serve faithfully, and for discernment for voters in this election season. Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

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