DALLAS — Republicans are flocking to Texas for an unprecedented national midterm convention headlined by President Trump to turn out voters in the congressional races that will dictate the course of his final two years in office — though some Republicans are nervous it could backfire.

The two-day gathering — nicknamed “Trump-a-Palooza” — offers free publicity for Republicans as they attempt to brand Democrats as “socialists” and features a slew of fundraising events to help the party boost its already large cash advantage to beat back bleak polls pointing to a possible November wipeout.

Trump will speak on Wednesday and Thursday night after 9 p.m. Eastern Time — with Vice President JD Vance also giving remarks Thursday.

Earlier slots will feature Trump administration officials touting policy wins and give lesser-known figures a moment in the spotlight to court donors and build momentum before a national audience.

Many speakers plan to frame the election as a choice between Trump’s record and the ascendant socialist wing of the Democratic Party, sources said, as Republicans try to defy the historical trend of a president’s party losing seats in a midterm.

“It’s electrifying. People are excited. People are ready to go,” Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters told conservative media personality Benny Johnson Tuesday, predicting that as many as 60,000 people will show up, including approved members of the public.

“We have 109 speakers, and it’s going to be an absolutely incredible event, and we’ll have a few surprises. If we’re going to win the midterms, we have to do things differently.”

Gruters said, “it was President Trump’s idea, and while most conventions take years to prepare, we’ve turned this vision into a reality in just the last 60 days.”

The event, however, is a gamble — with some Republican consultants close to the administration telling The Post that the event could harm vulnerable candidates by making the Nov. 3 election all about Trump at a time when polls show him with low approval ratings.

It could also become an embarrassment if the NFL’s opening nights — on Wednesday and Thursday — claim more viewers than the commander-in-chief.

“I’m all in on Republicans winning. But midterms are referendums on the president, and having the same Republicans talk even more about the administration isn’t increasing our numbers,” one GOP consultant said.

A second operative close to the White House said “the whole thing is dumb, especially to do [it] on the two opening nights [of the NFL season].”

On Wednesday night, Trump will compete for the nation’s attention while the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks clash in a Super Bowl rematch in a game that airs on NBC. The following night, the convention goes up against the San Francisco 49ers-Los Angeles Rams matchup on Netflix.

‘Haters will be pleasantly surprised’

Trump is expected to rattle off a variety of feats that he often claims should deliver Republicans a mandate for the remainder of his term — including strong-arming pharmaceutical companies into lowering prices and pushing through Congress new tax breaks on tips, overtime and Social Security payments.

“Haters will be pleasantly surprised by the amount of policy focus in the speeches,” said a person involved in planning the event.

“They will mention the president and the Republican Congress’ victories — policy wins and tax cuts.”

Incumbent presidents almost always lose House seats in the midterms, with George W. Bush the most recent to buck the trend in 2002 as he avenged the 9/11 attacks a year prior.

The GOP currently holds a tenuous five-seat edge — and the party lost 41 House seats in 2018 during Trump’s first term.

Trump, aware of the historical context, devised the convention — Democrats are not hosting their own midterm convention — as a way to upend the expected outcome.

Although a redistricting war gave Republicans an edge in a handful of districts, economic concerns in particular have dragged on the party in power — with the Iran War causing an uptick in inflation and gas prices.

The prime time slots after 8 p.m. Eastern time go to a mix of well-known and up-and-coming figures.

On Wednesday, the coveted window includes Medicare and Medicaid chief Dr. Mehmet Oz, Florida gubernatorial candidate Rep. Byron Donalds, Arizona House candidate Jay Feely, Michigan House candidate Mike Bouchard and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

The Thursday primetime slot includes Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and Donald Trump Jr.

“Everybody wants to be there, but we’re really asking only those Candidates that are in tight Races, a little up, a little down, or even, to speak,” the president wrote on Truth Social Tuesday.

“We want to save the ‘stage’ for them. We don’t need people who are up 45 points, and have been in office for 30 years, as much as we love them all!”

Candidates in tight races have chosen different approaches to the convention, which is shorter than a standard presidential-year summit.

Perennially vulnerable Maine Sen. Susan Collins and South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds, whose Democrat-backed independent challenger claims to have pulled even in internal polling, are skipping the convention altogether. 

Both Collins and Rounds have distanced themselves from Trump’s weeks-old trade war with Canada, noting the likely effect of retaliatory tariffs on their states’ exports.

But others in competitive races aren’t just showing up — they are appearing on stage.

New York Rep. Mike Lawler, whose district was won by Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris in 2024, and Ohio Sen. Jon Husted, who faces a tough challenge from Democratic former Sen. Sherrod Brown, are among the speakers.

So, too, is Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is neck-and-neck with Democrat James Talarico in the state’s hotly contested Senate race. Paxton, who has faced a litany of scandals, could benefit from Trump’s embrace in the heavily Republican state.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans will descend on Dallas this week for a two-day convention dreamed up by President Donald Trump to rally his supporters ahead of this year’s midterm elections.

Trump has said he wanted to channel the kind of political extravaganza that each party holds every four years to formally nominate a presidential candidate and showcase their vision for the country. There’s even going to be a huge drop of balloons at the end.

Republicans have never held a midterm convention before, although Democrats did in the 1970s and 1980s. Here are some things to watch Wednesday and Thursday:

Why is this happening?

Trump had long floated the idea of holding such a convention and Republicans worked to make his wish a reality.

Midterms are often difficult for the party in power in Washington, and Trump believes the event can juice enthusiasm for the party and boost turnout among his voters.

“Pretend, please, that I’m on the ballot,” Trump said recently in South Carolina. “Just come and vote.”

Republicans said the event will help catapult its candidates into November, but it will also showcase the first two years of Trump’s term. Although the president’s poll numbers are sagging, he insists that running on his record will give Republicans their best shot at winning.

Who is going to the convention?

The presidential nominating conventions that are held every four years by Republicans and Democrats typically draw thousands of rank-and-file party members chosen as delegates to represent their states and participate in the ceremonial nominating process.

No nominations are going to be awarded this time, since that’s already been settled by primary contests. The event will also be open to the public, which could make it feel more like a Trump rally than a convention.

More than 100 Republican House members and candidates are expected to be in Dallas, according to a person familiar with the event who requested anonymity before it begins. They were required to pay $25,000 for tickets and lodging, which the person described as typical for political conventions.

Some lawmakers in competitive races have indicated they won’t go or hadn’t determined their plans less than a week before the convention.

Who will speak at the convention?

Trump will speak each night. On Wednesday, he’s delivering a keynote address. On Thursday, he’s scheduled to appear after again after a speech from Vice President JD Vance.

A long list of speakers includes members of Trump’s Cabinet like Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

Also set to address the crowd are Attorney General Todd Blanche, the president’s son Donald Trump Jr. and former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, as well as Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxon and Mike Rogers, the party’s Senate nominee in Michigan.

House Speaker Mike Johnson and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz are giving speeches, as are many incumbents and candidates in some key, competitive races for the House and Senate around the country.

Everyday Americans are expected to take turns onstage sharing how they have benefited from the president’s policies.

Organizers have said there will be more than 50 speakers or presentations each night, with many of the remarks kept brief to keep the pace fast for viewers and easy to share online.

Trump has also promised there will be “lots of Great Entertainment” and referred to it as “a RALLY like none other.”

What will they focus on?

The party’s candidates will be showcased, including Paxton, the Texas Senate hopeful, whom Trump controversially threw his support behind instead of backing incumbent Sen. John Cornyn. Despite years of scandals, Paxton won with Trump’s backing, giving Democrats an opponent they see as more beatable in an otherwise conservative state. Trump has said one of the focuses for the Texas convention will be Paxton and trying to get him elected, saying “he’s a good man.”

But much of the program is focused on Trump’s agenda, from his crackdown on immigration, efforts to lower prescription drug prices, the sweeping tax cuts and spending law he signed last year and his tariffs, along with a partisan case against Democrats. Expect many of the speakers to echo Trump’s attack lines portraying Democrats as communists.

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Associated Press writer Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.