- Published
Republicans descended on Dallas this week to turn their midterm prospects around, hoping an unprecedented convention dominated by President Donald Trump would energise voters ahead of the November election.
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convention → publish → election
Many left the gathering - billed ahead of time by supporters as a "Trump-a-palooza" political fest - just as worried about the party's chances in 2026, and wondering what the Republicans' future will look like after the president leaves office.
Vice-President JD Vance, who is widely viewed as a top contender to succeed Trump, offered his a party a glimpse of its potential future during his keynote address on Thursday night.
"We've got to take care of business this November," Vance told the crowds.
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Vance → leave → crowds
"Then we'll worry about what comes next."
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what → worry → ?
His speech was interrupted at one point by chants of "48" - a nod to Trump's successor, who will become the 48th US president if they win in 2028.
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they → interrupt → 2028
Vance let the chant linger briefly before waving it away.
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chant → let → it
Over the two-day event, party activists were split on the wisdom of holding a midterm convention featuring a president who has record low approval ratings, and amid public frustration over the economy and war with Iran.
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who → split → Iran
"I think it will make a difference.
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it → think → difference
If anything it allows us to test the [campaign] message in front of a large audience," Jeff Ryer, the Virginia Republican Party chairman, told the BBC.
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Ryer → allow → BBC
Others said the president's rambling, nearly two-hour convention speech on Wednesday wouldn't sway voters weighing whether to keep Republicans in power in Congress.
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speech → say → Congress
Polls suggest that Democrats have a good chance to retake control of the House and the Senate is also in play, though viewed as more of a long shot for the party.
"Do I wish Trump gave a shorter speech?
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Trump → suggest → speech
Sure, but that's not who he is," said one Republican operative, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to offer a blunt view of Trump's convention appearance.
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who → say → appearance
The source added that Trump's plea for voters to pretend as if he's on the ballot would fall flat.
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he → add → ballot
"I don't think saying 'pretend I'm on the ballot' will work.
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I → think → ballot
He's not," the person said.
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person → say → ?
The convention offered a stark reminder that the Trump era is heading toward its final chapter.
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era → offer → chapter
Trump's presence loomed over the proceedings at the American Airlines Center in downtown Dallas.
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presence → loom → Dallas
Republican House and Senate candidates lavished the president with praise in speeches, and supporters showed up wearing the red Maga hats that have become synonymous with Trump's political movement.
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that → lavish → movement
The gathering was just two days, but still had the look and feel of the traditional four-day conventions staged by both parties in presidential election years.
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gathering → stag → years
Organisers distributed signs and unleashed a balloon drop at the end as live music blared.
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music → distribute → end
Republicans had never held a midterm convention before.
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Republicans → hold → convention
Vikki Consiglio, a party activist from Georgia, said it showcased Trump's ability to shake up political norms and capture the nation's attention.
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it → say → attention
Evidence of that came when Trump pledged in his speech to make a payment of $5,000 to all American adults if Republicans retained control of Congress.
"He's a visionary.
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He → pledge → Congress
This whole convention is nothing but a vision," Consiglio said.
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Consiglio → say → vision
But even as convention goers cheered Trump on, many seemed eager to discuss the 2028 presidential election.
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many → cheer → election
I'm absolutely thinking about the future of the party," said Aiden Buzzetti, the president of The Bull Moose Project, a pro-Trump group.
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Buzzetti → think → Project
Buzzetti, who is 26, credited Trump with reshaping Republican politics, but said at the same time he was looking forward to a "new generation of conservative leaders."
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he → credit → leaders
In interviews with the BBC, attendees at the convention most often mentioned Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as the top contenders to replace Trump.
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attendees → mention → Trump
"Trump needs to pass the torch.
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Trump → need → torch
We need to look forward," said Sandy Money, a Republican from Arizona who attended the convention.
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who → need → convention
"I love Vance.
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I → love → Vance
But Rubio is my choice" if he runs in 2028, she said.
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she → run → 2028
Trump has openly mused about Rubio and Vance's chances to succeed him.
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Trump → muse → him
But Vance and Rubio have deflected speculation about their political futures.
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Vance → deflect → futures
Rubio was on a diplomatic trip to Ecuador during the convention, so he wasn't among the small handful of cabinet officials who attended the festivities in Dallas.
The Trump administration has delivered "a great record of achievement," Vance argued, including improving the economy, strengthening border security and lowering the cost of prescription drugs.
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Vance → attend → drugs
Vance said the contrast was clear with a Democratic Party that he argued had shifted radically to the left and turned into the "party of crazy".
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he → say → crazy
The vice-president also made a direct appeal to undecided voters, saying he wanted to win over "the people who are still making up their minds".
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who → make → minds
Never one to cede the spotlight, Trump returned to the stage on Thursday night after Vance to round off the convention.
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Trump → cede → convention
For the president, the question of his successor was overshadowed by more immediate concerns.
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question → overshadow → concerns
"You know what happens if you don't vote?" he asked the gathered crowd.
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he → know → crowd
"You go to hell."
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You → go → hell
The Aporia
