The two-day Republican midterm convention started in Dallas on Wednesday, but the event didn’t look very packed.Most of the seats were empty as the attendees tried to stay motivated.Speakers smiled while looking out at the mostly empty crowd.
The convention, called “Trump-a-palooza,” is happening at the American Airlines Center.
The GOP is trying to get people excited for the upcoming election, but the event started with a weak showing.
During the first hour, the floor of the arena had some people sitting in folding chairs.
However, with about 1,000 seats on the floor, that was just a small part of the total available seats.
Only a few sections on the first level were filled, while most remained empty.
The rest of the arena had very few people in any section as the event began.
On stage, an “L” fell off the word “Dallas” on the podium as Republican National Committee chair Joe Gruters tried to promote Trump’s policies, even though the president is not very popular right now.
It wasn’t clear if more Trump supporters or media were sitting in the upper levels of the venue as people came and went.
Trump wasn’t there yet to give his big speech on the first day, but only a few people had arrived by that time as speakers started taking the stage.
The first group of GOP candidates, including Reps.
Anna Paulina Luna from Florida, Derrick Van Orden from Wisconsin, and Monica De La Cruz from Texas, walked out with big smiles to speak to a mostly empty room.
HUD Secretary Scott Turner was the first Cabinet member to speak, but when he mentioned his home state, Texas, the crowd didn’t react very strongly.
Very few people seemed excited about hearing a Cabinet official.
Michael Whatley, the Republican Senate candidate from North Carolina, came later to a room that hadn’t filled up much since the start of the event.
He is running against a Democrat who leads in the polls.
As more speakers took the stage, one person in an empty upper section waved a Trump flag and suggested that someone sitting nearby should take a nap until more exciting speakers arrived.
Other MAGA supporters came in casually, dressed in Trump gear and patriotic clothing.
Those who showed up sometimes stayed for a bit or looked around before leaving the main area.
Two hours into the event, the convention floor was still half empty.
Some participants seemed tired or not very excited compared to other GOP conventions.
One state official said her group was about 10 people short because it was hard to find people who could attend.
The Daily Beast noticed many “alternates,” people who were supposed to take the place of absent delegates.
One of them was Jack Ethridge from Ohio.
When asked if it was risky for Trump to focus on himself in the midterm campaign when his approval rating is at a record low, Ethridge said: “On one level, yes, but on the other, there are still a lot of voters who support him despite everything.
Elections are about turnout, and I think Trump believes he needs to inspire those who still believe in his plan.”
Virgin Islands delegate Alexandria Hughes and her dog Lucia sat in a section with mostly empty chairs.
She told the Daily Beast she was hopeful about the party’s chances in the midterms and dismissed criticisms of Trump as “nothing burgers.”
She also said the president’s focus on projects like the White House ballroom was good policy for national security.
Between speeches, a DJ played music and some people danced on the floor with American flags, while others stayed seated, hoping to see something more interesting to stay alert during Trump-a-palooza.
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