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By Jenni Fink
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The Republican National Committee's first-ever midterm convention in Dallas was intended to energize GOP voters ahead of the November elections and showcase President Donald Trump's political agenda. But images and videos from inside the American Airlines Center showed empty seats before Trump's first speech at the two-day event.
The convention comes as Trump's polling is low among Americans who are frustrated with the state of the economy, the war in Iran and even Trump's approach to immigration. With the midterms a referendum on the current administration, Republicans worry about losing control of the House and the Senate, making the last two years of Trump's presidency likely ineffective.
Photos and video clips from inside the arena showed large sections of the arena's upper deck sparsely populated at various points during the opening day of the convention.
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A photo Newsweek's Alex Rouhandeh took right after 8 p.m., about an hour before Trump was scheduled to speak, showed the first level of the arena packed with people but the upper and middle decks generally empty. Rouhandeh noted that some of the middle tier was reserved for media.
“President Trump packed an arena and the energy in the room was electric. President Trump took the stage and delivered a contrast between the Republican vision for the country and the liberal Democrat alternative. But the convention was also about the Americans watching from home, the families weighing the choice ahead — this convention is for them,” Danielle Alvarez, RNC Senior Advisor, told Newsweek.
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Rouhandeh noted that when Trump took the stage just after 9 p.m., the arena had filled in a little bit from the hour before. He estimated that the arena was 65-70 percent full. During his speech, Trump said the arena was "packed" and that photos that showed seats being empty were because people went to the bathroom.
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RNC Convention Attendance
The RNC said the convention center can hold 21,000 people and that 20,000 people would be in attendance, indicating that the arena should have been almost entirely full if everyone attended the first day. Trump said ahead of the event that the convention was "sold out."
"Everybody wants to come to the convention," Trump said.
RNC senior adviser Danielle Alvarez told Newsweek, “President Trump packed an arena and the energy in the room was electric. President Trump took the stage and delivered a contrast between the Republican vision for the country and the liberal Democrat alternative. But the convention was also about the Americans watching from home, the families weighing the choice ahead — this convention is for them.”
Trump Calls Convention a ‘Sold Out Hit’
Trump described the opening night of the Republican Midterm Convention as a “major, sold-out hit, far bigger, better, and more important than anyone thought possible” in a new Truth Social post on Thursday morning, claiming the event broke attendance records at the American Airlines Center and attracted thousands of people who could not get inside.
He wrote: "The place was packed!"
Trump also said its overall streaming audience beat the NFL, although he did not provide figures to support the comparison.
"It was really something, streaming all over the place, and really big numbers, despite going up against the NFL," he wrote. "The overall numbers beat the NFL."
Trump said he would return to Dallas on Thursday to close the convention.
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RNC Speaker List
The Dallas convention features an extensive lineup of Republican officials, political allies and administration figures.
Trump is the central attraction and was scheduled to headline the gathering as Republicans seek to frame the election as a referendum on his administration's policies. Vice President JD Vance is also among the convention's featured speakers. Other speakers include:
Night One of the Republican Convention
4:00 – 5:00 PM ET
Speakers Include
- Joe Gruters, Republican National Committee Chairman
- Heather Washburne, President of the Host Committee
- Pastor Jack Graham, Senior Pastor Prestonwood Baptist Church
- Rep. Monica De La Cruz (TX-15)
- Carlos De La Cruz, Candidate for U.S. House (TX-35)
- Everyday American, Former Democrat turned America First Grassroots Leader
- The Honorable Scott Turner
- Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (FL-13)
- Rep. Derrick Van Orden (WI-03)
5:00 – 6:00 PM ET
Speakers Include:
- Everyday Americans, Border Residents and Supporters of Frontline Law Enforcement
- Rep. Steve Scalise, House Majority Leader
- Rep. Tom Emmer, House Majority Whip
- Michael Whatley, Candidate for U.S. Senate (NC)
- Everyday Americans, Medical Professionals
- Senator Tim Scott, National Republican Senatorial Committee
- Attorney General Austin Knudsen, Republican Attorneys General Association
- Senator John Barrasso, Senate Majority Whip
6:00 – 7:00 PM ET
Speakers Include:
- Rep. Brandon Gill (TX-26)
- Pastor Lorenzo Sewell
- Paul Perez, President of the National Border Patrol Council & Members of the NBPC
- Ken Paxton, Candidate for U.S. Senate (TX)
- Rep. Rob Bresnahan (PA-08)
- Everyday American, Factory Worker, Working Mother, and Manufacturing Success Story
- Everyday American, Retiree and Senior Tax-Relief Beneficiary
7:00 – 8:00 PM ET
Speakers Include:
- Sen. Jon Husted, Candidate for U.S. Senate (OH)
- T.W. Shannon, Candidate for Lt. Governor of Oklahoma
- Senator Dave McCormick
- Everyday Americans, Factory Workers, Steel Union Members, and Ship Builders
- Mike LiPetri, Candidate for U.S. House (NY-03)
- Rep. Mike Collins, Candidate for U.S. Senate (GA)
- The Honorable Todd Blanche
8:00 – 9:00 PM ET
Speakers Include:
- The Honorable Dr. Mehmet Oz
- Rep. Byron Donalds, Candidate for Governor of Florida
- Jay Feely, Candidate for U.S. House (AZ-01)
- Captain Mike Bouchard Jr., Candidate for U.S. House (MI-10)
- The Honorable Scott Bessent
- Everyday American, Working Mother and Economic Policy Advocate
9:00 – 10:00 PM ET
Keynote Address:
- President Donald J. Trump, 45th and 47th President of the United States
Night Two of the Republican Convention
Note: All times are Eastern Daylight Time.
4:00 – 5:00 PM ET
Speakers Include:
- Joe Gruters, Republican National Committee Chairman
- Heather Washburne, President of the Host Committee
- Pastor Robert Jeffress, Senior Pastor at the First Baptist Church Dallas
- Laurie Buckhout, Candidate for U.S. House (NC-01)
- Everyday American, Law-Enforcement Veteran, Father, and Working-Class Advocate
- Rep. Jason Smith (MO-08) & Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (PA-07)
- Greg Cunningham, Candidate for U.S. House (NM-02)
- Lt. Governor Dan Patrick (TX)
5:00 – 6:00 PM ET
Speakers Include:
- Marty O'Donnell, Candidate for U.S. House (NV-03)
- Everyday American, Mother, Conservative Grassroots Leader, and MAHA Advocate
- Derek Merrin, Candidate for U.S. House (OH-09)
- Rep. Lisa McClain, House Republican Conference Chair
- Rep. Richard Hudson, NRCC Chair
- Eric Flores, Candidate for U.S. House (TX-34)
- Tano Tijerina, Candidate for U.S. House (TX-28)
- Rep. Brian Jack (GA-03)
- Senator Ted Cruz (TX)
6:00 – 7:00 PM ET
Speakers Include:
- Speaker Mike Johnson, 56th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives
- Tribute to Charlie Kirk
- Mike Rogers, Candidate for U.S. Senate (MI)
- Governor Greg Abbott (TX)
7:00 – 8:00 PM ET
Speakers Include:
- Rep. Mike Lawler (NY-17) joined by Angel Parents
- Tribute to 25th Observance of September 11th
- Mr. Frank Siller, CEO of Tunnel to Towers
- Everyday American, Father, Truck Driver, and Roadway-Safety Advocate
8:00 – 9:00 PM ET
Speakers Include:
- The Honorable Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
- Mayor Eric Johnson, Mayor of Dallas, TX
- The Honorable Karoline Leavitt, fmr. White House Press Secretary
- Everyday American, Manufacturer, Small-Business Owner, and Job Creator
- Donald Trump Jr.
9:00 – 10:00 PM ET
Keynote Address & Closing Remarks:
President Donald J. Trump, 45th and 47th President of the United States
Vice President JD Vance, 50th Vice President of the United States
What Did John Fetterman Say at the RNC Midterm Convention?
One of the most surprising moments of the convention came from an unexpected source, Democratic Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania.
Fetterman appeared in a prerecorded video message that was shown to attendees before Republican Senator Dave McCormick took the stage. In the video, Fetterman described himself as a "common-sense Democrat" and praised McCormick's work on behalf of Pennsylvania. The appearance marked a rare instance of a Democratic senator participating in programming at a major Republican Party event.
"Why am I here talking to you today? Because, well, I'm a common-sense Democrat," Fetterman said in the video. He added that he would "always stand with America" and would "always reject the extremes and socialism and that anti-American way of life."
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Filmed in front of a Pennsylvania steel facility, the message focused heavily on manufacturing and the steel industry. Fetterman said he would work alongside Trump and McCormick to defend jobs connected to the state's steel sector. He praised McCormick as someone who "gets the job done" and said the Republican senator would continue fighting for Pennsylvania workers.
Fetterman has increasingly distanced himself from some Democratic Party positions in recent years. He has occasionally sided with the Trump administration on certain issues and has cultivated relationships with several Republican figures, even as he continues to deny reports that he may switch parties.
McCormick praised Fetterman for being willing to work across the aisle on issues and called him "great."
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Gray R. Thomas
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