Trump's midterm “convention,” to be held in the Dallas Mavericks' arena, will choose no candidate and adopt no platform. State Republican parties are nevertheless selling access to its floor.
The Texas party is charging $20,000 for an “honorary delegate” credential, which comes with a two-night hotel stay and a “Texas Shirt and Cowboy Hat,” according to a flyer obtained by HuffPost. The Michigan party asks $7,500 for a floor seat or $10,000 for a couple. The California party wants $10,000 to be a “VIP delegate,” with donor packages running as high as $250,000 that include floor access, hotel rooms, and gift bags. The Republican National Committee declined to answer questions about how the event is organized or how states may distribute tickets. The event is scheduled for September 9-10 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.
The prices are a departure from how conventions work. Delegates are ordinarily chosen by party activists to represent congressional districts, pay their own travel, lodging, and meals, and cover a nominal administrative fee of roughly $200 to $500. A Republican consultant familiar with RNC processes said these attendees are called “honorary delegates” precisely because there is nothing for them to do.
California GOP spokesman Matt Shupe defended it: “This is a fundraising opportunity for state parties. The delegates are getting the best seating possible... they are going to pay a premium for that.” Organizers, he said, are calling it “Trumpapalooza,” and “this was the president's idea.”
Joe Walsh, the former Republican congressman who broke with Trump in his first term, asked the obvious question: “Where is that money going?” Money spent by Trump's supporters to attend what he called a glorified rally, he noted, is money not spent electing local Republicans. “Trump doesn't give a f--- about the midterms. He makes everything about himself, and he has no problem taking money away from other Republicans... It's not a real convention. The RNC hasn't written any rules for this. It's just this grifter free-for-all.”