First Republican midterm convention closes in Dallas
Was the first-ever GOP midterm convention a success?
Republicans gathered for their first-ever midterm convention. The two-day Dallas event was designed to drive more conservatives to the polls in November. But experts say it will be a few more weeks before we get even a hint at whether the effort made a difference in the minds of undecided voters.
DALLAS - The first Republican midterm convention came to a close in Downtown Dallas, drawing support and backlash from both sides of the aisle.
Concrete barriers are being removed, and Victory Park is no longer a Secret Service lockdown operation following the two-day event held at the American Airlines Center.
Convention sparks political debate
What we know:
For two days, the Republican Party held court in Dallas to rally voters ahead of the midterm election, which is less than 60 days away.
The biggest headline from the event was a presidential promise from Donald Trump to give Americans $5,000 checks if Republicans keep control of Congress.
Trump promises every American adult $5,000 if GOP wins the midterms
President Donald Trump made a pledge Wednesday to send every American adult a $5,000 "Trump Dividend" if Republicans retain control of Congress in November.
What they're saying:
Opposing viewpoints quickly emerged following the presidential promise of $5,000 checks.
"What we need to focus on is the fact they need to bribe people, he knows people are hurting," said U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett. "The only reason you need an extra $5,000 is because of their failed policies."
U.S. Rep. Beth Van Duyne offered a different perspective on the proposal.
"Congress has the power of the purse and that would have to be something discussed and figure out how to pay for it," she said. "But I think what the president is trying to say is everyone is benefiting from this economy. People that were getting paid by tips are getting an average $7,000 more a year."
Expert analysis on the strategy
Trump calls Paxton greatest attorney general in history
President Donald Trump urged Texans to elect Ken Paxton, joking about Paxton’s appearance, clothing and speaking style before praising him as "the greatest attorney general in the history of our country."
Big picture view:
Another hot topic at the convention was the U.S. Senate race between James Talarico and Ken Paxton. Both sides are spending a lot of money in the Lone Star State.
Following the convention, the campaign for Attorney General Ken Paxton bought multiple ad spots scheduled to run during the beginning of the NFL season as his high-dollar Senate race against James Talarico continues.
What they're saying:
Matthew Wilson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University, said one of the primary goals of the event was to rally support for Paxton's Senate run.
"Donald Trump said as much," Wilson said. "Paxton is no star on the stump, he is not a dynamic speaker, but Trump's point is that is beside the point. The problem is James Talarico is unacceptable. Talarico has ideas that are so leftist that Texans need to reject that."
Wilson also noted that the future of midterm conventions will depend heavily on the outcome at the ballot box in November.
"If Republicans get pasted in November and this didn't make much difference, then I think people will say this is not worth the time and effort," he said. "So, a lot depends on what happens in November."
What we don't know:
It is unclear whether the midterm convention will become a regular event for the party in future election cycles.
Polling numbers reflecting any potential post-convention bump among voters are not expected for another week or two.
The Source: The information in this article comes from FOX 4 reporter Steven Dial’s interviews with U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, U.S. Rep. Beth Van Duyne, and SMU Political Science Professor Matthew Wilson.