By
Ed Kilgore,
political columnist for Intelligencer since 2015
For the first time since Democrats tried it twice (with poor results) in the 1970s, a major U.S. political party is holding a “midterm national convention.” Republicans are convening in Dallas on Wednesday and Thursday this week. One would normally expect such an event to focus relentlessly on poll-tested messaging, particularly when held in proximity to the actual midterm election (early voting begins in some states in ten days). But that does not seem to be the case with this confab at all. Everything we’ve heard about the midterm convention suggests two overriding purposes: to raise money and to glorify President Trump.
The moneygrubbing that will go on during this event is at world-class levels, as Punchbowl News notes:
