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By Andrew Stanton and Alex J. Rouhandeh, at the 2026 RNC in Dallas, Texas
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Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters pointed to President Donald Trump’s “popular” policies when asked about the president’s low approval rating in an interview with Newsweek ahead of the GOP convention in Dallas this week.
The GOP is holding an unprecedented midterm convention this week in Dallas, Texas, a traditionally Republican state that has entered battleground territory as Republicans contend with Trump’s declining national approval rating.
Republicans hope the convention could give them a boost in the midterms. Historically, when the president’s approval rating is low, his party loses seats. Polls suggest Democrats are well-positioned to flip control of the House of Representatives and are competitive in the Senate despite facing a challenging map this year.
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Gruters told Newsweek on Wednesday that the convention offers Republicans a chance to bring Trump's “winning message directly to the people.”
“I think his policies are incredibly popular, including the working family tax cuts. And I think you know people tell me all the time, you got to do better messaging,” he said. “There's no better way to message anything than delivering it right to the American people through a convention, like we have done every four years, and always have had that post-convention bump.”
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The RNC chair said Trump has “completely transformed” the Republican Party, and the base is “united” behind him. He expressed confidence in the GOP's chances of winning.
“We have the candidates, we have the resources, and now we're going to be able to deliver because we're going to do this midterm convention as a kickoff to the president barnstorming the country,” he said.
The convention, he said, can help Republicans.
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“If you're going to defy history, you can't do what they've always done in the past. You’ve got to do things differently,” he said.
Trump Approval Rating Ahead of Republican Convention
Trump’s approval rating remains low in the latest round of surveys released around Labor Day. The president’s approval rating has fallen over recent months amid voter frustration with the economy and cost of living, as well as the unpopular Iran war, which has sent prices surging.
Trump’s approval stood at only 37 percent in a new survey from YouGov and The Economist released this week. Sixty-one percent disapproved of his job performance. It surveyed 1,469 registered voters from September 4 to 8, 2026.
In a Morning Consult poll, his approval was a net of -11, with 54 percent disapproving and 43 percent approving of the president’s job performance. The poll was conducted among 2,201 registered voters from September 4 to 6, according to The New York Times.
Meanwhile, an NBC News Decision Desk poll showed that his approval rating was 28 points underwater, 36 percent approving and 64 percent disapproving. It surveyed 7,105 adults from August 20 to September 1.
Trump has dismissed polling that shows his approval is low.
“They’re putting them out at levels never seen before,” Trump wrote on Truth Social last month. “They’re called, ‘Demoralization Operations,’ where they try to demoralize Republicans so that they don’t go out and vote.”
President Touts ‘Sold Out’ Attendance
In remarks to reporters on Wednesday, Trump was asked about several Republicans running in competitive races who opted against attending his convention. He said that “everybody” wants to come to the convention.
“By the way, we’re going to be sold out tonight, just so you understand,” Trump said.
He said some people are not coming because they do “not have room” for people who are “35 points up and don’t need to be there.”
“Every politician that we wanted to be there is there,” Trump said.
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Some Republicans in competitive races said they would not attend.
Pennsylvania Representative 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.”
Iowa Representative Zach Nunn told MS NOW he would be in his district "because I think it’s more important to be in my district working for my folks.”
During a press conference on Wednesday, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said the convention “can't paper over the fact that Republicans have done nothing to earn your vote.”
“Donald Trump is hoping that a flashy primetime event will make you forget that, well, his trade war is killing costs for families at the grocery store. His war in Iran is killing ranchers and farmers and their way of life, and his war on people, on the working people, the working families of this country are raising the costs of health care and housing. But Republicans can't rig the election if voters overwhelm them at the polls,” he said.
Ken Paxton Asks for Prayers, Votes and Support in Texas Race
Meanwhile, Ken Paxton, Republican nominee for Texas Senate, praised Trump during his speech Wednesday night, while promising to "fight" for the American dream. Paxton took jabs at Democratic nominee James Talarico, pointing to Talarico's tax, transgender, and environmental platform.
"California already has two senators it doesn't need a third," Paxton said. He added that Talarico is the most "radical" Democrat in Texas history.
Paxton, the Lone Star State's Attorney General, concluded in his speech, "I need your prayers, your votes and your support. If we lose Texas, we lose the commonsense revolution. If we lose the commonsense revolution, we lose America."
Republicans Trail in Polls as Convention Begins
Political parties typically hold conventions during presidential years, but not during midterms, making this year’s GOP event unprecedented. There will be at least 109 total items or speakers across both nights, and Trump will appear during both nights. Vice President JD Vance is also going to deliver a keynote speech, according to the RNC.
Speakers will discuss the party’s policies, including taxes, immigration, education, and health care over the two-night event.
The latest polls give Democrats an edge on the generic ballot.
The latest numbers from YouGov showed Democrats up 7 points, 42 percent to 35 percent. Morning Consult’s polling data showed Democrats up 4 points, 46 percent to 42 percent. And Reuters/Ipsos gave Democrats a 5-point lead, 43 percent to 38 percent.
Prediction markets favored Democrats in the battle for House control, but showed a true toss-up for the Senate.
Democrats had an 84 percent chance of taking the House on Kalshi and an 88 percent chance on Polymarket as of Wednesday afternoon. Republicans had a 52 percent chance of holding onto the Senate majority on Kalshi, but Polymarket gave Democrats a 53 percent chance of flipping it.
Prediction markets let traders buy and sell contracts tied to political outcomes and current events, aggregating real-money wagers into probability estimates. Prices fluctuate as traders react to polling, fundraising, candidate developments and broader political trends. They measure trader sentiment at a given moment but do not always predict the future accurately.
What Happens Next
The midterm convention will formally kick off on Thursday as Republicans work to motivate their base in the midterms. With less than two months until Election Day, candidates will spend the coming months working to win over undecided voters and increase turnout among their base. Trump is also expected to campaign with Republican candidates across the country.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Jason Lemon, Gray R. Thomas and Anna Commander
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