President Trump and the Republican National Committee are strongly considering Dallas as the site of an unusual midterm convention later this year, according to two people with knowledge of the discussions. Republicans are working to finalize the plan as they seek to rally their voters in the face of political headwinds.
Some details must still be finalized, including the exact dates, and officials said formal paperwork still needed to be signed.
But Trump advisers who are looking to parade their candidates and rally the base are close to settling on Dallas over other options, which had included Las Vegas, according to the people, who were granted anonymity to share private planning information.
The party is targeting a date after Labor Day to try to maximize early-voting momentum.
Political parties typically hold conventions once every four years, only when nominating a presidential candidate and formalizing their platform. But Mr. Trump has pushed for a major gathering before this year’s midterm elections to motivate his supporters at what is expected to effectively amount to a major rally for the party.
The Republican National Committee, which took steps at its winter meeting to clear the way for a convention-style event this year, declined to comment on the city selection.
“I can’t wait for the midterm convention that we’re going to have before early voting starts in the fall where we parade all of our stars across the stage and we talk about all the great things we’ve done for the American people,” Speaker Mike Johnson, Republican of Louisiana, said earlier this month at the party’s retreat in Florida. “This is a midterm like none other.”
The selection of Dallas could also bring attention and energy for Republicans to Texas, which is the home of a must-win Senate race for the party this fall. Senator John Cornyn, the Republican incumbent, faces a runoff election in his primary against the state attorney general, Ken Paxton. Democrats have nominated James Talarico, a state legislator who has emerged as a top fund-raiser.
Officials with the Democratic National Committee, which has far less cash than its Republican counterpart, also floated the idea of a midterm convention last year. This month, the Democrats officially opted against holding such an event, but party officials claimed they had “baited” Republicans into putting on a costly event that would put more focus on Mr. Trump, who remains unpopular.
“Republicans were baited into wasting time and money on a midterm convention that will sink their swing-seat candidates by tying them directly to Trump’s wildly unpopular policies,” Roger Lau, the D.N.C.’s executive director, said in a statement.
The R.N.C. entered February with nearly $102 million. The D.N.C. had $15.2 million on hand, but more than that, $17.5 million, in debts.
Shane Goldmacher is a Times national political correspondent.
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