Just hours before the Republican National Committee’s first-ever midterm convention was set to kick off in Dallas, Texas, a group of local Democrats took the stage to deliver a counter-message.
With Texas expected to be a closely watched battleground state, Democrats are hoping to capitalize on growing dissatisfaction with the Republican Party and the Trump administration to reach voters beyond their traditional base. Meanwhile, Republicans hope the convention will energize its base and help the party hold onto Texas this November by electing Attorney General Ken Paxton.
But Texas Democratic Party Chair Kendall Scudder (D-TX) said he thinks the party chose the Lone Star State for other reasons.
“Ken Paxton has the magnetic pull of a plastic spoon, and they have to do everything that they can to prop him up before they lose their stranglehold on Texas,” Scudder said.
Scudder also questioned President Donald Trump’s mental fitness, pointing to recent public appearances and remarks that have drawn scrutiny.
“Dallas has a world-class memory care clinic specializing in dementia, so it gives easier access and opportunities for a president who clearly has ailing health,” Scudder said.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D-IL) was also among the Democrats who took the stage in Dallas, turning his attention to the Republican convention’s star-studded lineup. He described the speakers as “a poster child for bad governance, bad morals and bad vibes.”
“And, of course, we have Donald Trump himself, a president suffering from dementia, who unleashed violence on our cities, who jacked up grocery prices, screwed our farmers and now has you paying for his gaudy golden ballroom,” Priztker said.
The Democratic Party has continued to tout affordability as a major issue for the midterms, pointing to persistent inflation and the impact of the president’s tariffs on consumers.
“Trump's tariffs have cost the average American family more than around $1,800 in the last year, with American consumers paying $230 billion in total tariff costs,” Scudder said.
Not only are the president’s policies straining American households, Scudder said, but the Trump administration has also given major corporations “100 of billions” in tariff relief funds.
“He won't stop until his billionaire pedophile buddies gobble every penny out of your pockets,” he said. “Trump's trickle-up economics is taking money out of your pocket and giving it to the richest people in this country.”
Commissioner Alyssa Simmons (D-TX), who represents Tarrant County next door to Dallas, argued that the convention is out of touch with what voters are experiencing.
“Voters are dealing with the consequences of his type of leadership and government every day,” Simmons said. “People are worried about affordability, about health care and wondering if their vote really matters.”
