Sep 15, 2026 · 30 min · 11 segments
Laura Belin and Bob Leonard (filling in for Spencer Dirks) began with news from the RNC's midterm convention and political happenings related to the Cy-Hawk football game. Next, they covered Iowa's…
Laura BelinGuest
Bob LeonardHost
Dallas, Texas, where Republicans held an unusual midterm convention for two days last week.

As far as I know, the Senate nominee, Ashley Hinson, and the two congressional candidates, Joe Mitchell and Chris McGowan, were there.

I appreciate Stephen Gruber-Miller of the Des Moines Register reported on this because Unlike what happened at the big RNC convention two years ago, none of the Republicans who were down in Dallas posted pictures on their social media or wrote about it.

But I learned reading other reporting about this that Democrats had midterm conventions in 1974 and 78 and most recently in 1982.

President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance were the main speakers at the convention.

Donald Trump spoke for about an hour and 45 minutes on the first evening, and J.D. Vance spoke for at least 40 minutes on the second evening, followed by a second Donald Trump speech.

But I think the most important thing to me was that it really drove home The Republicans are worried about that GOP base voter turnout.

The people who support Donald Trump may not show up when he's not on the ballot.

And he's very worried about the president's party losing the midterm elections, as often happens.

Dallas, Texas, where Republicans held an unusual midterm convention for two days last week.

As far as I know, the Senate nominee, Ashley Hinson, and the two congressional candidates, Joe Mitchell and Chris McGowan, were there.

I appreciate Stephen Gruber-Miller of the Des Moines Register reported on this because Unlike what happened at the big RNC convention two years ago, none of the Republicans who were down in Dallas posted pictures on their social media or wrote about it.

But I learned reading other reporting about this that Democrats had midterm conventions in 1974 and 78 and most recently in 1982.

President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance were the main speakers at the convention.

Donald Trump spoke for about an hour and 45 minutes on the first evening, and J.D. Vance spoke for at least 40 minutes on the second evening, followed by a second Donald Trump speech.

But I think the most important thing to me was that it really drove home The Republicans are worried about that GOP base voter turnout.

The people who support Donald Trump may not show up when he's not on the ballot.

And he's very worried about the president's party losing the midterm elections, as often happens.
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