Republican Rally in Dallas Deliberately Avoids Iran War and Tariff Issues, Approval Rating Drops to 33%

Dallas—According to Al Jazeera, the US Republican Party convened what the Republican National Committee dubbed the "first of its kind in American political history" midterm election convention at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas on September 9 and 10. The campaign machinery typically reserved for the presidential election cycle was rolled out on the eve of the midterm elections. This two-day political rally, with more than 100 agenda items on the docket, ostensibly aimed to build momentum for the November 3 vote, yet in reality exposed the awkward predicament of the Republican Party attempting to dodge core issues such as the war and tariffs amid growing voter discontent.

According to Al Jazeera citing polls, Trump's approval rating continues to slide, with the average hovering around 38%. A Reuters/Ipsos poll and a Financial Times/Focaldata poll both showed Trump's approval rating at just 33% in late August. That figure, nearly halved from the roughly 52% approval rating he held upon taking office in January 2025, reflects voters' deep dissatisfaction with the current policy direction.

Deliberately Avoiding the War and Tariffs

Al Jazeera analysis noted that one of the principal drivers of voter discontent is the US-Israel war against Iran and its cascading economic impact on American consumers. Yet the official agenda—the first night focused on tax cuts, medical costs, immigration, border policy, trade and domestic manufacturing; the second night on family burdens, tip taxes, overtime pay and Social Security—rarely mentioned the war or Trump's aggressive tariff policies.

This deliberate avoidance invites scrutiny: at a political rally that flew the banner of "showcasing Trump's record," even core governing issues were sidelined—is this reluctance to confront them, or inability to defend them? When a ruling party must fall silent about an ongoing war and its economic consequences at its most important campaign moment, the silence itself becomes an indictment of its governing record.

Key Candidates Choose Distance from the President

More strikingly, several Republican candidates in tight races opted not to attend the convention, fearing that association with the president would energize opponents. According to Al Jazeera citing the Associated Press, Democratic primary turnout surged this year in key states including Michigan, Wisconsin, Texas and Georgia, while Republican turnout remained flat.

Maine Senator Susan Collins, viewed as a vulnerable seat, faces a challenge from Democrat Troy Jackson and has publicly said she will not attend. Iowa Republican Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks told The Bulwark bluntly: "Because I have my own district to take care of, I'll be in my own district." She edged out Democratic opponent Christina Bohannan by a razor-thin 0.1% margin in 2024, and her reelection prospects were already precarious.

Meanwhile, some candidates did choose to attend, including former Michigan US Representative Mike Rogers, Ohio US Senator Jon Husted and Georgia US Representative Mike Collins. But Trump's remarks to reporters before the convention opened revealed another layer of intent—stumping for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Paxton is running against Democrat James Talarico for a US Senate seat, with polls showing the latter ahead; should Republicans lose the seat, it would be the first state-level office Democrats have won in Texas since 1994. Trump said: "We're going to invite a lot of speakers, and who we really want to focus on is obviously Ken Paxton. We have to help him win."

A Stark Resource Gap Between the Two Parties

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries announced that four Democratic members of Congress would travel to Dallas for counter-activities. Yet according to Al Jazeera, the Democratic National Committee itself is no longer capable of holding its own midterm election convention. After the 2024 general election, the DNC fell into financial difficulty, even mortgaging its Washington headquarters to secure a $15 million loan.

By contrast, although the Republican National Committee has yet to disclose the final cost of this convention, according to Al Jazeera, some Republican officials have criticized the event—hastily announced by Trump in late June—as unlikely to deliver the intended publicity boost. Trump's Thursday evening closing speech coincided with the National Football League (NFL) season opener, and with several "9/11" memorial events this week, further diluting attention on the convention.

When a costly political convention falls silent on core governing issues, when more members of one's own party choose to distance themselves from the president, when control of the House is already viewed as "a long shot to flip"—the signals of political reckoning are unmistakable.