By Susan Ferrechio (The Washington Times)
DALLAS — President Trump made a midterm pitch to Republican faithful packed into the American Airlines Center on Wednesday, pledging to hold rallies for dozens of Republican candidates running in the closest House and Senate races and promising a $5,000 dividend check to every adult American if the Republicans hold on to Congress.
On the opening night of a two-day Republican midterm convention, Mr. Trump rallied the party faithful who gathered for an event they hope will jolt voter enthusiasm and prevent a projected Democratic takeover of Congress after the November elections.
“I’m asking you to let us finish the job we began with the greatest two years in the history of the presidency,” Mr. Trump said.
Mr. Trump talked about his successes as he faces low approval ratings and voter anger over the high cost of living. Mr. Trump arrived in Texas amid another spike in gasoline prices, to $4.22 a gallon on average, as the Iran war dragged on and disrupted oil tanker traffic.
He also made a new promise: If Republicans hold on to the majorities in the House and Senate, every adult American will receive a $5,000 check, which he called a dividend.
The dividend offer almost immediately drew sharp criticism from the left, including accusations he was offering a bribe.
Democrats are expected to pounce on Mr. Trump’s dividend offer, including calling it an empty promise since paying it to the roughly 270 million U.S. adults would cost near $1.35 trillion.
Sen. Bernie Moreno, Ohio Republican, said he would immediately introduce legislation to provide the dividend if Republicans keep control of Congress.
“I will get a bill ready so that we can get the Trump Dividend passed immediately after the November 3rd election … because Republicans (and America) will win!” he said.
In his speech, Mr. Trump sought to defend his second-term agenda, promoting his success in cutting taxes, stopping illegal border crossings, lowering prescription drug prices and returning manufacturing jobs to the United States.
Mr. Trump said he is bringing prices “way down,” pointing out the price of eggs is far lower than when he took office. Unemployment has been reduced, he said, and the average 401(k) value has grown by $50,000.
He asked the crowd “to pretend I’m on the ballot,” and pointed out that the president’s party often loses in midterm elections.
“We’ve got to change that because we have something going that’s so good, we can’t let that string be broken,” he said.
Mr. Trump touched down in Dallas in the afternoon with a mission: Headline a raucous rally reminding voters of the Republicans’ accomplishments and boost candidates in the nation’s most competitive races.
The event was full, but not packed to the rafters. Plenty of seats on the upper level of the arena were empty.
Yet the arena erupted in a deafening roar when Mr. Trump made his entrance, serenaded live by Lee Greenwood singing his signature song, “God Bless the USA.”
The adoring crowd cheered and laughed at Mr. Trump’s remarks, as they do at all his rallies.
The president promised many more rallies before November, suggesting he would do whatever it takes to secure wins in about three dozen races to hold on to the House and Senate.
“They might be winning by a little, or losing by a little, or tied,” Mr. Trump said.
“We can win every one of those races, but I’m going to go to every one of those states for congressmen and for senators, I’m going to do that, and we’re going to have rallies. And we’re going to have rallies just like this. We’re going to have big arenas loaded up with people,” he added.
Convention attendees were excited but also wary of the upcoming election. Midterm elections are typically bad news for the party that controls the White House, and elections analysts see control of the Senate a toss-up and Democrats likely to regain the gavel in the House.
“A convention, at the least, sparks some interest,” said Kevin Shifflett, a retired Army officer from Fairfax, Virginia, who is active in local Republican politics.
Mr. Shifflett, like other attendees, received free tickets to attend the event but said he would promote it to help get Republicans to the polls in November.
“This is a good thing to truly spark awareness. Everybody here is already going to vote that way anyway. What are we going to do to take this and translate it to bubbles on the ballot?” Mr. Shifflett said.
The Republican National Committee lined up dozens of speakers on the first night of the convention, alternating party leaders who promoted Republican accomplishments and the Trump agenda with candidates running in critical races who desperately need help in the polls.
The event was dubbed “Trump-a-looza,” but the main stars were candidates scrapping to win in the nation’s most hotly contested races.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, running neck-and-neck against Democrat James Talarico for the state’s U.S. Senate seat, was a prime-time speaker, as was Jon Husted, Ohio’s lieutenant governor and a Senate candidate, who is tied in the polls against Democrat Sherrod Brown in Ohio’s critical race.
They promoted themselves while paying homage to Mr. Trump.
“The press, the courts, and the establishment all tried to take President Trump down, but he’s won every single time. He’s delivered more for this country than anyone before, secured victories for America that no other president could, and always stood up for Texans,” Mr. Paxton said.
Other speakers included Rep. Mike Collins, who is running to unseat Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in Georgia; and House candidates Mike LiPetri, running in New York’s 3rd Congressional District; Jay Feely, running in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District; and Mike Bouchard Jr., the Republican nominee in Michigan’s 10th Congressional District.
Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, head of the Republicans’ Senate campaign arm, delivered a fiery speech attacking the Democratic Party’s tilt toward socialism.
“This midterm, we face the most dangerous, radical and frankly weird Democrat candidates in American history,” Mr. Scott said.
Some Republican candidates in competitive races were no-shows, which critics attributed to Mr. Trump’s low approval ratings.
The president brushed off those claims on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews before heading to Texas.
“Everybody wants to come. We are going to be sold out tonight,” Mr. Trump said.
Mr. Trump, before arriving at the arena, huddled with his super PAC, MAGA Inc., at a nearby hotel. Mr. Trump said last week he has close to $1 billion in his super PAC and plans to allocate up to $500 million to Republican campaigns.
Al Zito, of Southlake, Texas, was waiting in the arena to hear Mr. Trump speak and reflected on the upcoming elections.
“The midterms are always a difficult time for whichever party,” he said. “It’s a lower turnout election. If Republicans turn out in November, there’s not going to be a problem. But getting people out to vote and the pathetic percentage of overall people that wind up voting is sad.”
“What I’m worried about is turnout. If we get the turnout, we’re not going to have a problem,” he concluded.
This article was made available to WMAL via The Washington Times.
