Trump Vows to Campaign for Paxton at GOP Midterm Convention

DALLAS - President Donald Trump headlined the opening night of the Republican National Committee's first-of-its-kind midterm convention in Dallas on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, vowing to campaign aggressively for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's U.S. Senate bid while the party used the stage to cast Democrats as extremists. Trump told the crowd at the American Airlines Center that he would return to Texas to support Paxton, who is running against Democratic nominee James Talarico in a historically competitive Senate race. "I'll be coming back to Texas, because we have to elect Ken Paxton," Trump said, adding that he might return two or three times if necessary. He called Paxton possibly the top attorney general in the country, but also mocked his appearance, dress and speech in unscripted asides that he acknowledged were not part of his planned remarks. Paxton, in his own speech, praised Trump and promoted his Protecting the Texas Promise Plan, which includes a $50,000 down-payment tax deduction for homebuyers and a $25,000 deduction for medical expenses.