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Welcome to The Logoff: Donald Trump is bound for Dallas to kick off Republicans’ midterm convention — which is likely to be all about him. 

What’s going on? If you haven’t heard of a midterm convention before, you’re not alone. They’re not common: The last one was in 1982 and, as the New York Times notes, it “went so poorly” that a subsequent Democratic Party chair described them as “places for mischief” and canceled the next one.

Nonetheless, Trump has decided to hold one this year to tout his and his party’s (but mostly his) record leading into the 2026 midterms. The event will span two days — today and Thursday — in Dallas, Texas, and Trump is set to get the prime speaking slot on both nights.

The event won’t have any of the features that make a traditional presidential-year convention, such as formally selecting a candidate or setting a party platform; instead, it will look more like a multi-day GOP infomercial. 

Is this a good strategy? If you’re a Republican politician, probably not. The Republican National Committee chair is explicitly billing the event as a “Trumpapalooza,” and with Trump in attendance, that’s what they’re sure to get. 

The only problem is that polling suggests Trump is radioactively unpopular right now, with his overall approval hovering near record lows and dragging down Republican candidates across the board. Some Republican candidates are staying away from the convention entirely, while those who are attending may not see much benefit. 

(Democrats, unsurprisingly, are thrilled by the Trump-centric convention, as the Washington Post reported on Wednesday.)

How else is Trump getting involved in the midterms? He’s spending heavily, or at least starting to: His MAGA Inc. super PAC has about $400 million on hand and (indirectly) made $49 million in ad buys earlier this week in key states, plus another $10 million in Texas.

He’s also asked voters to “Pretend, please, that I’m on the ballot.” It remains to be seen whether that will yield the result he’s hoping for.

And with that, it’s time to log off…

We’re a few days past Labor Day, but here’s a fun Wall Street Journal story about the power of organized labor: How college football kickers, long an afterthought, “self-created their own market” to get paid in the NIL era. You can read it with a gift link here. 

Have a great evening, and we’ll see you tomorrow!

Author: Source Author

Source: Vox.