1. The First-Ever Midterm-Focused Republican Convention, Checked In Person
This is Dallas, Texas. We are at the venue of the Republican midterm convention. Running across the 9th and 10th local time, the first-ever midterm-focused Republican convention has taken place.
[USA!! USA!! USA!!]
Normally, a convention is held to select candidates ahead of an election—whether it is for president or the Senate. However, this convention is different. It is not being held to select anyone. It is a gathering where Republicans, including ardent Trump supporters known as MAGA, have come together to pledge, "Let's unite around Trump and win the midterm elections on November 3." In fact, the venue was plastered with pictures of Trump. President Trump changed his initial plan and delivered speeches for two consecutive days. Attendee passes were even made with Trump's photo on them.
[Joe / Texas Resident: If you're from Texas, you'll understand this. It's 'God, family, football, and Donald Trump.' Trump is restoring all our values that have been disappearing for years.]
I have been here at the convention venue for two days now. To be honest, it is all about Trump from start to finish. Every single speaker praised Trump throughout their speeches.
[Karoline Leavitt / Former White House Press Secretary: It has been the honor of my lifetime to serve President Trump.]
Attendees responded with standing ovations and enthusiastic cheers.
2. The Core of This Convention: 'MAGA'
What we need to pay the closest attention to at this convention are the attendees, namely 'MAGA.' They are Trump's most powerful support base and the people who filled the convention hall.
[Sharlene Prince / San Antonio: I am so excited to be able to see his speech again. I haven't seen him speak live since 2016, and just the fact that people like us get the chance to see him again is an honor.]
Why is this important? From Trump's perspective, his immediate goal is to win the midterm elections in November, but if that is realistically impossible, he at least needs to prove that he still holds political clout within the Republican Party. This is how he can maintain his political influence within the party during the latter half of his term and even after leaving office.
[Aaron Del Mar / Candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Illinois: There are many great 'red states' here like Texas, Florida, and Tennessee, and I want to talk to the elected officials from those areas.]
That yardstick is none of other than 'MAGA.' President Trump likely wanted to flex his muscles through this convention, which was broadcast across the entire United States.
3. Did the Convention Go According to Trump's Wishes?
However, has this convention truly showcased the power of MAGA as planned and turned out to be a box-office success? It is hard to say so.
[Here is the inside of the convention hall. It is also the home arena of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks. They say it holds about 20,000 people when full. But as you can see, there are many empty seats here and there.]
Compared to a year ago, when over 70,000 supporters flocked to a memorial event for Trump's close associate Charlie Kirk in Arizona, the contrast in temperature is quite significant. Recently, President Trump hit his lowest approval rating of his second term at 33 percent. The war in Iran continues to weigh him down, and rising prices including oil costs are acting as headwinds. To cover up these adverse factors, Trump stated on the first day of the convention that if they win both the House and the Senate in the midterms, he would give 5,000 dollars per American adult—about 6.7 million won in our money.
[Donald Trump / US President: We call it the 'Trump Dividend.' It's paying 5,000 dollars to every adult American citizen.]
[Ryan Cyriac / Texas: That's a great story. Nobody is going to turn down 5,000 dollars.]
[Everis / Texas: It's definitely interesting. I'm curious to see how it will play out.]
He claimed that the war in Iran would end right after the November 3 election and oil prices would plunge. He then appealed to MAGA, saying, "Please think that I am running in this midterm election. Please think that I am on the ballot." Attendees identifying themselves as MAGA responded that they deeply resonated with Trump's speech.
4. What Was Happening Outside the Convention Venue?
Perhaps because they judged that standing alongside Trump would not help win votes, some battleground candidates—such as Senator Susan Collins of Maine and Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska—did not attend the convention. Most midterm candidates who spoke at the convention did not mention the war in Iran either. There is a Democratic politician whose name was mentioned second most after Biden during this convention: James Talarico, the Democratic candidate for Texas State Senator.
[James Talarico / Democratic Candidate for Texas State Senator: The only truth is, we are a threat. We are a threat to their corrupt system.]
For reference, the Democrats have not won a U.S. Senate election in Texas since 1988. Yet Talarico is currently running neck-and-neck with Ken Paxton, who enjoys Trump's full backing. This has become almost the most symbolic showdown of these midterms. Around the Republican convention venue, about 30 foreign reporters, including us, flocked to a food donation event hosted by Talarico.
[Lori / Dallas Resident: Sort of a counter-rally, I suppose. But instead of protesting, it means using our energy to do something good and positive.]
Trump's super PAC, MAGA, has started pouring massive political funds into the Texas Senate race, and Trump appealed for support for Paxton, saying he would come back a second or third time if necessary.
[Donald Trump / US President: You know what happens if you don't vote? You're going to Hell, you know that. Okay? You're going to Hell.]
However, the atmosphere outside the convention hall felt quite different in temperature, and Talarico supporters were saying, "This time is different" and "Texas is turning its back on Trump, too." The atmosphere is not uniformly conservative, to the extent that clashes between anti-Trump and pro-Trump supporters occurred during the convention period.
[Jimmy / Dallas: It's a protest against the Republican Party. That's not a convention. It's just a glitzy Trump rally.]
Ultimately, the core of politics is how effectively the enthusiasm of the ardent base can be expanded to the moderates. Looking at this convention, it does not seem entirely positive regarding whether Trump's politics and the influence of MAGA remain intact and can continue to expand.
Reported by Jeon Byeong-nam | Produced by Shin Hee-suk | Video by Oh Jung-sik | Video Editing by Ahn Jun-hyeok | Design by Lee Jung-joo | Produced by SBS Digital News
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