Melania Trump and more senior party members are expected to sit out the Republican midterm convention in Texas
First lady Melania Trump and a growing list of senior Republican lawmakers are expected to skip the Republican Party’s midterm convention in Dallas, Texas, on September 9-10, undercutting an event designed to project party unity around President Donald Trump ahead of the November elections.
Texas Sen. John Cornyn confirmed through a spokesperson that he will not attend the gathering at American Airlines Center, joining Melania and dozens of House and Senate Republicans in competitive races who have said they will campaign in their districts instead.
Melania Trump’s absence
The first lady’s decision marks a departure from her only notable political appearance of Trump’s current term. She attended the final night of the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee after her husband was shot in Butler, Pennsylvania, though she did not address delegates.
According to Yahoo News and The Independent, the Milwaukee appearance was her only significant political event during the intervening period.
The first lady has “generally maintained a lower political profile than her husband, appearing only sporadically at campaign and party events,” according to MEAWW, which cited The Washington Post’s reporting on her decision.
Neither Melania Trump nor her office has publicly explained her absence.
John Cornyn and the Texas Senate race
Cornyn’s spokesperson confirmed his absence directly to Newsweek in a September 3 report. His decision carries particular weight because the convention is being held in his home state and is expected to promote Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who defeated Cornyn for the Republican Senate nomination after receiving Trump’s endorsement.
The Senate race has since tightened. University of Texas/Texas Politics Project poll of 1,200 registered voters found Democrat James Talarico leading Paxton 42 percent to 39 percent, with 14 percent undecided. The poll had a weighted margin of error of 3.58 percentage points.
Cornyn’s office did not link his absence to Trump, Paxton or the primary outcome.
Senators and senior Republicans staying away
Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville told the Daily Mail that newly added campaign events would keep him from Dallas, reversing his July statement that he planned to attend.
South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds also plans to remain in his state, telling reporters, “This year, I’m spending as much time as I can in South Dakota talking to folks that do have concerns. Affordability is one of them.”
House Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole will instead attend a dove-hunting event in Oklahoma, according to Politico.
New Jersey Rep. Chris Smith and New York Rep. Andrew Garbarino cited commitments related to the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, which falls during the same week as the convention.
Ohio Rep. Max Miller, who has faced public allegations involving his ex-wife and daughter, told The New York Times he will also stay home, according to reports from NOTUS and Spotlight PA.
Republicans in competitive races
Several House Republicans in closely watched contests have chosen to remain in their districts.
Michigan Rep. Tom Barrett said he would be “more useful” at home. “I can’t control what the president’s going to say at the convention, but I can control where I’m at, what I’m doing.”
Iowa Rep. Zach Nunn told MS NOW, “I’m going to be in my district because I think it’s more important to be in my district working for my folks.”
Pennsylvania Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick told Politico, “I’m not a party guy. I believe in ending the two-party system. Get back to our roots as a country.”
According to NOTUS and Spotlight PA, Nunn, Barrett and Fitzpatrick are all running in races rated as toss-ups by the Cook Political Report.
California Rep. David Valadao and Colorado Rep. Jeff Hurd confirmed to Politico that they will not attend but did not provide reasons.
Michigan Rep. John James, the Republican nominee for governor, told the Daily Mail his team does not currently plan to attend.
New York Rep. Nick LaLota said he would instead visit colleges with his daughter, while Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Tom Tiffany told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel he would skip the gathering.
What the convention is designed to do
The Republican National Committee has billed the Dallas gathering as its first-ever midterm convention. The event is intended to showcase Trump’s record and rally Republican candidates rather than conduct formal party business such as resolutions or elections.
The gathering has picked up the nickname “Trumpapalooza,” a label reported by NOTUS and later used by Spotlight PA, The Daily Beast and other outlets covering the event.
Trump is scheduled to headline both evenings, with Vice President J.D. Vance delivering a keynote address. RNC Chair Joe Gruters has said each hour of programming will have its own theme, building toward what he described as Trump’s vision for the next chapter of American greatness.
Southern Methodist University political scientist Cal Jillson described the event more simply, telling reporters it amounts to a campaign rally designed to energize the party’s base.
Cost and logistics
Attending the convention carries a significant financial cost. House Republicans have reportedly been asked to contribute $25,000 each, according to NOTUS, Spotlight PA, The Daily Beast and Crooks and Liars.
Separately, the National Republican Congressional Committee has offered House members contribution packages ranging from $25,000 to $100,000. The packages include convention tickets and varying access to a leadership breakfast, political roundtables and a welcome reception, with new contributions coming from a member’s reelection committee or leadership PAC.
Dallas is expected to spend more than $2 million on public safety and logistical costs for roughly 20,000 expected attendees at American Airlines Center. Reimbursement arrangements remained unresolved in the city’s most recent memo.
Who is attending?
Despite the growing list of absences, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohio Sens. Jon Husted and Bernie Moreno are among the senior Republicans expected in Dallas.
Former Michigan Rep. Mike Rogers, now a Senate candidate and Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry, who faces a difficult reelection race, also plan to attend despite their competitive contests, according to NOTUS and Spotlight PA.
Vance has downplayed the significance of the absences, telling reporters that he and Trump can make the party’s case on national television and that lawmakers in tight races do not need to attend “in all cases.”
He added that members in competitive races face fundraising, staffing and voter-outreach demands that can conflict with convention travel.
What happens next
Attendance could still change before the convention opens. Pennsylvania Rep. Rob Bresnahan told Politico he remained undecided and therefore is not counted among the confirmed absentees.
Neither the White House nor the RNC had responded to Newsweek’s request for comment as of Saturday morning.