Trump Headlines Both Nights of GOP Midterm Convention

RNC Chairman Joe Gruters cast November as a binary choice. "Republicans are the party of hardworking, patriotic Americans who believe in a fair day's pay, safe streets, secure borders, and a government that gets out of our way and lets Americans win again," he said in the announcement. "Democrats have taken a different path... Come November, the American people are going to see this choice clearly and they are going to deliver a landslide for common sense."

Two names drove the commentary — one on the list, one off it.

Attorney General Todd Blanche is scheduled to speak. Christopher Hale, a former Obama campaign aide, wrote on X: "The United States Attorney General is speaking at a national partisan political convention." Raw Story noted that federal executive branch employees are restricted by the 1939 Hatch Act from using their positions to influence elections, and reported that critics view Blanche's participation as a potential violation. The Frank has seen no finding by any authority that Blanche has broken the law.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune is absent from the list. Axios reporter Alex Isenstadt wrote that Trump "has attacked" Thune "for not doing more to pass election security legislation," and that Thune is scheduled to be in Dallas next week for fundraising. CBS News reported Thune will not attend the convention itself but is expected at Dallas fundraisers during the week.

The Republican National Committee, meanwhile, is warning its own incumbents against distancing themselves from the president. A spokesperson told the New York Post that members keeping the White House at arm's length do so at their own peril with the base.