Republicans will hold a 2026 midterm convention

President Donald Trump said Republicans will hold a midterm convention ahead of the 2026 elections as the White House looks to stave off losses in Congress that historically beset the party in power.

Trump, who last month floated the idea of a midterm convention, confirmed the plans in a Sept. 16 post on Truth Social, though he did not say when the convention would happen, where it would take place or what it would involve.

“The Republicans are going to do a Midterm Convention in order to show the great things we have done since the Presidential Election of 2024,” Trump wrote. “Time and place to be determined. Stay tuned, it will be quite the Event, and very exciting!”

Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate and a 219-213 majority in the House. National party conventions, which historically take place only in the year of presidential elections, give Republicans and Democrats large prime-time audiences to deliver their messages and showcase their presidential nominees. The events often result in post-convention polling bounces for the presidential candidates who are the center of the spectacles.

A smaller midterm convention would give Republicans an opportunity to showcase their crop of House and Senate candidates on a national stage. Democrats have been considering holding their own midterm convention, though new Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin has not confirmed final plans.

After the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, and many responses from the political left celebrating or justifying his murder, there has been a surge of energy toward the political right. Republicans will hope to capture that energy to keep and expand their Congressional majorities.

In today’s extremely polarized political climate, it seems that the stakes for every single election, even off year elections, have been heightened.