A Republican Party midterm convention, which President Donald Trump floated last week, is likely a “done deal,” House Speaker Mike Johnson told members of the press on Wednesday.
“The president called me when I was on the road, maybe a week ago or whenever this made news in the morning,” the Louisiana Republican said during his press briefing. “He said, ‘Mike, I got a great idea … how about a midterm convention?'”
And that idea, Johnson said, is “genius.”
The speaker added that Trump told him that a midterm convention had “never been done before like that” and that it would be “‘such a great rallying point for us in the fall right before the election to lead up to that, to the momentum that we have so much to sell and talk about and, and, and celebrate.'”
Trump “loves the big show,” Johnson continued, adding that Trump planned to call Senate Majority Leader John Thune and new Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters with his planning.
“I think everybody’s on board,” said Johnson, noting that the news broke about a potential GOP convention almost as soon as he got off the phone with Trump.
“So, I think that’s a done deal now,” he said. “I’m really excited about it. I can’t wait. We have so much to celebrate.”
Democrats are also floating the idea of holding their own midterm convention to sharpen their message ahead of the 2026 races in hopes of regaining control of the House and Senate, which Johnson said would be “hilarious.”
“If they’re going to put on display what they did at their little workshop a couple of weeks ago, bring it,” the speaker said. “All we’ve got to do is find the right location and get this thing planned, and we’re going to be excited.”
Trump teased the idea of a national midterm convention to rally Republicans ahead of the 2026 elections last week, while pointing to the party’s gains since his 2024 victory over Democrat nominee Kamala Harris.
A midterm convention is unusual outside a presidential election year, but Trump suggested that the gathering would also energize the GOP base.
Republicans are fighting to defend their congressional majority, and historically, the party in power tends to lose ground in midterm elections.
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