Dallas is preparing for two days of tight security and traffic disruptions as the Republican National Committee stages an unusual national gathering billed as the party’s first midterm convention. Dallas developer Ray Washburne, an event co-chair, has said organizers expect about 20,000 people to attend each night.
The two-night rally and policy showcase begins at 3 p.m. Dallas time Wednesday at American Airlines Center. According to the Republican National Committee’s schedule, President Donald Trump will appear both nights and close the gathering Thursday, while Vice President JD Vance will deliver Wednesday’s main address.
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Trump’s Dallas convention: Our complete coverage
Despite its name, the event is not a traditional presidential nominating convention. No candidates will be nominated, attendees will cast no votes and no official party business will be conducted. It is a convention in name but a rally in spirit, designed to raise money, promote Republican candidates and energize voters before the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
Organizers say the program includes 109 speakers and programming items, with 53 items Wednesday and 56 Thursday. The schedule page is more specific about themes than people: It identifies only Trump and Vance as speakers and does not say how many of the 109 items represent individual speakers.
The agenda will highlight Republican candidates and issues including taxes, border security, healthcare, trade, education, public safety and domestic manufacturing.
This week’s gathering also is separate from the Republican Party of Texas convention held in Houston in June, where delegates conducted state party business.
— Michael Cuviello
Dallas police, Dallas Fire-Rescue, DART Police, the FBI and the U.S. Secret Service have been involved in security planning. Dallas police and Secret Service officials have warned residents, workers and visitors to expect checkpoints, temporary fencing, vehicle barriers, motorcades and rolling street closures that could occur with little notice.
Related: Don’t call it a ‘mini’ convention: Trump says midterm GOP gathering in Dallas will be ‘big stuff’
Several groups also are planning demonstrations and counterprogramming during the gathering. Dallas police said the department received multiple First Amendment activity requests.
Road closures around American Airlines Center and Victory Park began Monday and are scheduled to remain through Friday, city and Secret Service officials said. They include parts of Victory Avenue, North Houston Street, Nowitzki Way, Payne Street and North Field Street. DART has said Victory Station will be closed Tuesday through Thursday.
City officials estimate security and traffic preparations will cost about $1.8 million, with additional expenses possible for other departments. They said they will track the spending and pursue reimbursements, but some City Council members have questioned whether taxpayers could ultimately be left with part of the bill.
— Michael Cuviello
Although Republicans are billing this as the party’s first midterm convention, Dallas has hosted a traditional national gathering before. More than 2,200 voting delegates met at the Dallas Convention Center in August 1984 to nominate President Ronald Reagan and Vice President George H.W. Bush for reelection.
Related: Dallas’ last GOP convention left taxpayers a bill. What about this one?
The political backdrop was different. Dallas then leaned heavily Republican and was riding a building boom that was reshaping its skyline. Civic leaders promoted the convention as a privately financed showcase for the city. But according to news reports at the time and a 2014 account by The Dallas Morning News, Dallas taxpayers ultimately absorbed an estimated $1 million to $1.5 million in related expenses.
The 1984 gathering also produced a lasting piece of legal history. Gregory Lee Johnson was arrested after burning an American flag outside Dallas City Hall during a protest. His conviction reached the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled in 1989 that burning the flag as political protest was protected by the First Amendment.
— Michael Cuviello
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This article originally published at Live updates: Republican midterm rally brings Trump, Vance to Dallas.