US President Donald Trump announced Tuesday, September 16, that his Republican Party will hold a convention ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, a rare move that the Democratic opposition is also reportedly mulling. Such major events are normally only held once every four years, before presidential elections.
"The Republicans are going to do a Midterm Convention in order to show the great things we have done since the Presidential Election of 2024," Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. He said the time and location were not yet decided, but promised it will be "quite the Event, and very exciting!"
Meanwhile the Democratic Party was considering holding its own midterm convention, several US media outlets reported.
"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," a party spokesperson told The Hill news site.
Control of Congress will be up for grabs in the November 3, 2026 election – with Republicans currently holding narrow majorities in both chambers. All US House of Representatives seats and a third of the Senate are up for election, with political maneuvering and fundraising already well underway.
Given that the White House occupant's party typically loses seats in the midterms, Trump has launched an unusual pressure campaign to get Republican-led states to redraw their electoral maps. Texas moved first, enacting new district maps that are expected to flip up to five seats from Democrats to Republicans.
In response, Democratic leaders in California have initiated a redistricting push to offset the Republican gains in Texas, though it will first be put to a statewide referendum. Missouri's legislature has also passed new maps seeking to add one more Republican House seat, though that effort may also face a statewide vote.
Trump's first term in office, Democrats won back the House in the 2018 midterms, leading to two years of tense intra-party negotiations on government funding and other legislation.