It seemed like a good idea at the time.
asserted
It → seem → time
In December 1978, Jimmy Carter, a US president besieged by inflation and energy crises, watched as thousands of Democrats descended on Memphis, Tennessee, for a rare midterm convention.
asserted
thousands → besiege → convention
“It was wild,” recalls Elaine Kamarck, who attended as a 28-year-old working for the Democratic National Committee.
asserted
who → recall → Committee
“It became a forum for Ted Kennedy to informally announce his opposition to president Carter.
asserted
Kennedy → become → Carter
The Democrats have sworn ever since never to do anything this stupid again.”
asserted
Democrats → swear → anything
The 1978 convention took place after midterm elections in which Democrats suffered losses but still maintained control of the House of Representatives and Senate.
asserted
Democrats → take → Representatives
The party also held midterm conventions in 1974 and 1982.
asserted
party → hold → 1974
Kamarck, who later served in the Bill Clinton administration, adds: “The Democratic party has never thought of doing this again and, whenever it has, people like me say, ‘No, are you absolutely crazy?’”
asserted
you → serve → me
Republicans, however, did not get the memo.
asserted
Republicans → get → memo
This week in Dallas, Texas, the party will stage a midterm convention for the first time.
asserted
party → stage → time
Donald Trump will deliver a keynote address on Wednesday and closing remarks on Thursday in Dallas, Texas.
asserted
Trump → deliver → Dallas
Other speakers include Vice-President JD Vance, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Attorney General Todd Blanche, Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr and the president’s son Donald Trump Jr.
asserted
speakers → include → Vance
The convention has been billed as a “primetime showcase” to boost morale, nationalise congressional elections and galvanise Republican voters.
asserted
convention → bill → voters
But success is far from guaranteed.
asserted
success → guarantee → ?
The made-for-TV spectacle clashes directly with the two opening games of the American football season.
asserted
spectacle → make → season
A Politico website survey of more than 70 Republican candidates and members found 45 who either do not plan to go to Dallas or are still thinking about it.
asserted
survey → find → it
Some cited prior commitments while others balked at the $25,000 price of attending.
asserted
others → cite → price
Unlike conventions in a presidential election year, delegates will not be making party rules or drawing up a policy platform.
asserted
delegates → make → platform
“This is essentially a Trump rally that they’re calling a midterm convention,” said Kamarck, now a senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution thinktank in Washington.
asserted
Kamarck → call → Washington
“They’re trying to get enthusiasm among their base because that’s what they need for November.
asserted
they → try → November
That ambition probably made sense when the midterm convention was first mooted.
asserted
convention → make → sense
Republican voters are historically slow to turn out when Trump is not on the ballot.
asserted
Trump → turn → ballot
By putting himself on the marquee, the president – who defied the odds to win the White House in 2024 – is hoping to narrow the enthusiasm gap.
asserted
who → put → gap
Among those hoping for a boost from Trump in Texas is Senate candidate Ken Paxton, whose history of scandals – including an affair and securities-fraud indictment – could prove costly against the Democratic rising star James Talarico.
uncertain
history → hop → star
But now it appears the plan could backfire.
uncertain
plan → appear → ?
Trump’s approval rating is at 33%, the lowest point of his political career, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll last week.
uncertain
rating → accord → poll
Democrats seem more fired up about the midterms with 46% describing themselves as “very enthusiastic” about voting in November, compared with 31% of Republicans.
asserted
% → seem → Republicans
Tara Setmayer, a former Republican communications director on Capitol Hill, warns that building a midterm convention around a failing president is tantamount to “political suicide”.
asserted
building → warn → suicide
“It is an incredibly risky strategy for any Republican at this point to hitch his wagon to Donald Trump,” she explained.
asserted
she → hitch → Trump
Setmayer, co-founder of the political action committee the Seneca Project, added: “The idea that he’s going to excite people is flawed at this point, given the polling numbers in Donald Trump’s own constituency.
asserted
he → add → constituency
They’re not inspired and this vanity convention is not going to change that with 60 days to go to the election.
asserted
convention → inspire → election
If anything, it’s going to remind people of how dissatisfied they are under Donald Trump’s second term.”
asserted
they → go → term
There are further signs that the president could be more of a curse than a blessing.
uncertain
president → be → blessing
Some candidates are quietly scrubbing his likeness from their websites in a tactical retreat.
asserted
candidates → scrub → retreat
In Texas, candidate Carlos De La Cruz replaced “TRUMP CONSERVATIVE” with “PROVEN CONSERVATIVE” on his homepage, erasing a line about being “ready to be President Trump’s wingman in Congress” for a platitude about “servant leaders”.
asserted
Cruz → replace → leaders
In Kentucky, Ralph Alvarado pivoted to “INDEPENDENT LEADERSHIP”.
asserted
Alvarado → pivot → LEADERSHIP
In Nevada, Martin O’Donnell, a music composer best known for his work on the Halo video game series, no longer features his Trump endorsement photo on his website.
asserted
O’Donnell → know → website
In south Texas, Eric Flores replaced “SUPPORT PRESIDENT TRUMP’S AGENDA” with “LOWER THE COST OF LIVING”.
asserted
Flores → replace → LIVING
In Alaska, Nick Begich edited his homepage to a simple: “We have delivered for Alaska.”
asserted
We → edit → Alaska
Elsewhere, candidates are actively breaking ranks.
asserted
candidates → break → ranks
…and 39 more, not listed.
