Both major political parties are considering holding large-scale gatherings ahead of the midterm elections, underscoring the stakes next year as President Trump faces a potential check on his power if Democrats flip one or both chambers of Congress.
A Democratic National Committee (DNC) spokesperson confirmed that the party is considering an event next year “to showcase our tremendous candidates running up and down the ballot and harness the amazing grassroots energy we’re already seeing.” Trump floated a similar idea for Republicans in a post on his Truth Social on Thursday, saying, “It has never been done before. STAY TUNED!!!”
Though neither party has confirmed that their event is taking place yet, the gatherings could offer both sides a shot-in-arm as Democrats and Republicans alike brace for a grueling midterm season.
“Anything that we can do to put our party in a better position to win, we should absolutely consider doing,” explained Drew McKissick, chair of the South Carolina GOP.
A midterm convention “could offer the opportunity to capitalize on grassroots enthusiasm, get more Republicans trained and ready to turn out the vote in November of ‘26,” he added. “That’s a good thing.”
Conventions between the parties are typically held once every four years when both sides formally nominate their presidential candidate. The DNC has previously held conventions before or right after midterm elections, according to Axios, but stopped the practice.
But both parties are now considering holding a similar event ahead of next year, where a broader redistricting battle has heightened the stakes of securing the House majority.
DNC spokesman Abhi Rahman confirmed on Thursday that the party was considering a convention for next year, a day after Axios reported the DNC was mulling the idea.
“Americans everywhere are fired up and ready to fight back against Trump’s reckless policies — including his budget betrayal that cuts health care and food assistance for millions of people,” he said in a statement. “To showcase our tremendous candidates running up and down the ballot and harness the amazing grassroots energy we’re already seeing, several options are on the table for next year, including hosting a large-scale gathering before the midterms.”
Republican National Committee (RNC) spokeswoman Kiersten Pels lauded Trump and touted Republicans’ track record thus far in a statement when asked about a potential RNC convention.
“President Trump is leading with bold, innovative ideas to energize our Party and keep us on the path to victory,” she said. “The results speak for themselves: President Trump and Republicans are strengthening and uniting the country, delivering historic wins, and undoing the disastrous policies of Democrats and the Biden Administration.”
The idea has received support from both parties — and was even discussed during the last midterm cycle.
Former DNC Chair Jaime Harrison told The Hill in a text message ahead of the party’s confirmation that it was considering a large-scale gathering next year and that a midterm convention “is something I proposed to the WH a few years ago and encouraged the candidates for DNC Chair to consider.”
While details and plans for a convention — if it even happens — haven’t been finalized, Democrats and Republicans alike see potential upsides for a midterm convention, which could help galvanize the parties as Democrats look to reset from a disappointing November and the GOP braces for a challenging midterm election.
“If the purpose of this is to show unity and to drive a message, that can be beneficial,” explained Republican strategist Alex Conant.
Glendale Mayor Bryan Kennedy, a DNC member from Wisconsin and president of Democratic Municipal Officials, said he was “intrigued” by the idea. He said he was surprised he hadn’t heard about the idea during their summer meeting this past week, but noted it could help bring national attention to down-ballot challengers.
“If you’ve got some congressional candidates running in Wisconsin, and they get seen on a national stage, and you have then people wanting to donate from other states, and people wanting to do volunteer — whatever they can do, online stuff from other states — those are always helpful,” he explained.
Inevitably, the event could also become a forum for the shadow Republican and Democratic 2028 primaries, with the parties’ rising stars using the platform to tout their own biographies and accomplishments. Republicans, however, will have to walk a more delicate line to avoid risking outshining the president.
An added challenge for GOP candidates is how closely they’ll want to associate with Trump and the national brand during a midterm convention, given the president’s party typically faces headwinds in midterm years.
But Democrats won’t be without their own challenges as well. For one, the party will need to figure out how to pay for an event of that scale. The DNC’s latest campaign filing showed the party raised $8.5 million in July and had close to $14 million cash on hand; some of the cash flow has been directed to help fund state parties.
The RNC’s filing this month showed the GOP had raised $13 million last month, including $4 million from offsets, and $84 million in the bank.
New York state Sen. James Skoufis (D), a member of the DNC’s “People’s Cabinet” and an ally of DNC chair Ken Martin, said that the party’s finances should be compared to those of the 2018 cycle, noting the party is doing better financially this go-around than it was then. He also noted it will take some time for Martin to build relationships with donors.
Perhaps most importantly, DNC is hampered by the fact that it’s helped cover the Harris campaign’s debt since the 2024 election. The party has also privately raised the possibility of borrowing money, according to The New York Times, though Martin told the newspaper in June, “That’s certainly not our plan right now.”
Some Democrats believe donors will slowly return back to the party after pulling their pocketbooks after the November election, particularly if Democrats secure key wins in New Jersey and Virginia this fall.
“We do certainly need to raise more money. I would acknowledge that. Chair Martin would acknowledge that,” Skoufis said. “And in particular […] the full expectation is that some of our larger donors who thus far have not been contributing to the DNC […] as every month goes by from last November’s election, wounds will continue to heal.”
