President Trump is scheduled to take center stage Wednesday night in Dallas, delivering the keynote speech as the Republican National Committee opens its Midterm Convention — an unusual off-year gathering designed to energize GOP leaders, delegates and grassroots supporters ahead of November’s midterm elections.
Vice President JD Vance, widely viewed as one of Trump’s most prominent political heirs, is expected to headline the convention’s second night. But the program also features several Republicans whose names are already circulating in early conversations about the 2028 presidential race.
According to RNC officials, the speaker lineup includes senior Cabinet officials, influential Republican leaders in Congress, Trump-aligned lawmakers and candidates competing in some of the country’s most closely watched House, Senate and governor’s races. The committee has not yet released specific speaking times, and additional names are expected to be added before the event begins.
Axios first reported the list of confirmed speakers.
Those currently expected to address the Republican gathering include former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, now working as an outside political adviser to Trump, as well as Donald Trump Jr., Attorney General Todd Blanche and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Notably missing from the current speaking roster are Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Trump has repeatedly mentioned Rubio as someone who could eventually run alongside Vance or emerge as a future GOP presidential nominee. Hegseth, meanwhile, has been the subject of recent reports suggesting he may be weighing a possible White House run, though his aides have pushed back on that speculation.
From Capitol Hill, House Speaker Mike Johnson and Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, are listed as speakers. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who has had public disagreements with Trump in recent months, is not scheduled to speak, though he is still expected to travel to Dallas for fundraising events tied to the convention.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who has said he does not expect Vance to have a clear path to the 2028 Republican presidential nomination, has also been invited to speak. So has Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has been trailing Democrat James Talarico in both polling and fundraising in their Senate race. Trump moved to boost Paxton on Saturday, making his first major campaign contribution of the cycle by directing $10 million from his MAGA Inc. super PAC to support Paxton’s bid.
Also scheduled to speak is Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who recent polls suggest is narrowly edging his Democratic opponent, Gina Hinojosa.
