Washington Examiner
· collected 2026-09-10 · by Christian Datoc, Mabinty Quarshie and Naomi Lim
JD Vance, Vice President under Donald Trump, is set to give the keynote address at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas on Thursday, cementing his position as the early favorite to inherit Trump's movement in 2028. Meanwhile, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) will also take the stage, challenging Vance's status as the presumptive nominee and carving out a more traditional fiscally conservative lane. According to polls, Vance is comfortably leading with 43% support, over 20 points ahead of Marco Rubio at 21%, while Cruz trails behind with 4%. The convention comes amidst concerns that Trump's sagging approval numbers could hand control of Congress back to Democrats in the November midterm elections.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-10,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
As midterm elections approach, Nate Silver at Silver Bulletin warns against expecting dramatic late shifts in polls like those seen in presidential years, noting that congressional races tend to stabilize after Labor Day. Meanwhile, Donald Trump continues to draw attention with erratic social media posts on platforms like YouTube and Substack, including bizarre memes and dystopian imagery.
In Pennsylvania, Democratic Senator John Fetterman faces criticism from within his party for appearing by video at the Republican National Convention to endorse their candidate Dave McCormick. This move has drawn sharp rebukes from potential rivals such as Rep. Brendan Boyle and Conor Lamb, who compare Fetterman's praise of Trump and McCormick to propaganda in authoritarian regimes.
The Republican midterm convention in Dallas highlights a strategy to portray Democrats as threats to national identity and security. Keynote speakers like Vice President JD Vance position themselves for the 2028 presidential race by rallying support against perceived Democratic "radicals," focusing on issues of family values rather than economic concerns highlighted by voters.
Written for “Midterm Election Campaigns” on 2026-09-12,
grounded in this article and the 58 other(s) covering the same event.
Vice President JD Vance will take center stage on the final night of the Republican midterm convention on Thursday, giving him another opportunity to cement his standing as the early favorite to inherit President Donald Trump’s political movement in 2028.
asserted
Vance → take → 2028
But before Vance delivers the keynote address in Dallas, another potential successor will get his turn: Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX).
asserted
successor → deliver → turn
The back-to-back appearances will offer an early glimpse of a potential 2028 rivalry — and the larger fight over what the Republican Party will look like after Trump.
asserted
Party → offer → Trump
Vance has emerged as the leading heir to Trump’s populist brand of conservatism, while Cruz is carving out a more traditional fiscally conservative lane and increasingly challenging the notion that the vice president should be treated as the presumptive nominee.
asserted
president → emerge → nominee
The divide extends beyond economics.
asserted
divide → extend → economics
Cruz has increasingly positioned himself as an outspoken opponent of antisemitism on the Right while pushing back on the notion that Vance should be treated as the presumptive 2028 Republican nominee.
asserted
Vance → position → nominee
Vance has also denounced antisemitism within the conservative movement but has resisted calls to distance himself from former Fox News host Tucker Carlson.
asserted
Vance → denounce → Carlson
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) told the Washington Examiner that he believes Cruz is “definitely going to run” in 2028, adding that he and any other Republican hopefuls would be “a zillion times better” than whichever candidate Democrats end up nominating.
asserted
Democrats → tell → candidate
For Vance, however, Thursday night presents a more immediate challenge.
asserted
night → present → challenge
Vance will address thousands of supporters who are worried that Trump’s sagging approval numbers, a prolonged Iran war, and voter apathy could hand back control of one or both chambers of Congress to Democrats.
uncertain
numbers → address → Democrats
Denise McAllister Randall, a Dallas resident and alternate delegate to the convention, told the Washington Examiner that Vance’s “biggest challenge right now is keeping the focus on what we’re trying to do and on the president’s agenda that’s at hand because I think that’s what even he was elected to do.”
asserted
he → tell → what
“I hope, while he may in the back of his mind be concentrating on 2028, stays focused on what we have at hand,” she added.
uncertain
she → hope → hand
“A lot of Americans, you know, they want to see some things end, with what’s going on with I’ll say the conflict or whatever, but we know he has a purpose right now, so I hope he’s going to be motivational in that aspect as well.”
asserted
he → know → aspect
Polls show Vance comfortably in the lead of a 2028 Republican primary.
asserted
Vance → show → primary
The New York Times’s poll composite shows Vance at 43%, more than 20 points above Secretary of State Marco Rubio at 21%, while Cruz is polling at 4%.
asserted
Cruz → show → %
Rubio, notably, is not addressing the convention.
asserted
Rubio → address → convention
Yet Trump has also not moved to block Republicans from challenging Vance.
asserted
Trump → move → Vance
When peppered by reporters, Trump has praised both Cruz and War Secretary Pete Hegseth but stopped short of endorsing a future White House run.
asserted
Trump → pepper → run
The November midterm elections will also likely shape the 2028 field.
asserted
elections → shape → field
If Republicans face a wipeout and Trump is blamed, more GOP lawmakers could launch White House bids as a non-MAGA candidate.
uncertain
lawmakers → face → candidate
But if Republicans can hold off a disastrous night, the GOP could move quickly to coalesce around Vance.
uncertain
GOP → hold → Vance
Cruz’s fellow Texans, however, are cheering him on.
asserted
Texans → cheer → him
“I think Ted Cruz is going to have a chance, just like everybody else,” added Tano Tijerina, a Republican candidate running to flip Rep. Henry Cuellar’s (D-TX) seat.
asserted
Tijerina → think → seat
“And being a Texas boy, I think he’s going to do it.”
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he → think → it
Hailey Bullis contributed to this report.
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Bullis → contribute → report
