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Live updates: Trump addresses GOP midterm convention

Speakers who preceded him attacked their Democratic opponents as "radicals."

President Donald Trump is delivering the keynote address at the Republican Party's first-ever midterm convention.

Speakers who preceded the president took aim at their Democratic midterm opponents, characterizing them as "radicals" and "dangerous."

Trump and Republicans from across the country are in Dallas for two nights to support the slate of candidates running this year and to tout the administration's agenda going into November in their first-ever midterm convention.

1 hour and 28 minutes ago

Donalds blames Democrats for affordability crisis

One of the major themes of the convention is Republicans pushing what they call common-sense policies compared to Democrats and Florida GOP gubernatorial candidate Rep. Byron Donalds discussed the commonality that Texas and Florida share in building policies based on that.

"Florida and Texas have something absolutely essential in common. Our two states prove every single day that Republican policies built on common sense work for the American people," Donalds said.

Rep. Byron Donalds, candidate for Florida governor, gestures as he arrives on stage at the Republican National Midterm Convention in Dallas, Sept. 9, 2026.
Brian Snyder/Reuters

Turning his attention to Democrats, Donalds said that they created the affordability crisis and that Americans should not trust them to fix it.

"But let me ask all of you here tonight: Do you let the arsonist become the firefighter? Because make no mistake, the Democrats created the inflation that's crippling families, and we, the Republican Party, we have the resumé and the credentials and the plans and the policies to get our country back on track," Donalds said.

-ABC News' Hannah Demissie

1 hour and 42 minutes ago

Sen. Tim Scott blasts ‘dangerous, radical, weird’ Democratic candidates

South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, who leads the Senate GOP campaign arm, gave an animated speech, criticizing a slate of Democratic candidates before concluding that the only way to keep "dangerous, radical, weird" out of the Senate is a "united Republican Party."

"Standing with our President Donald J. Trump," he shouted, raising both hands in the air. "Stand for the President Donald J. Trump. This is a battle for the heart of our nation. I said the heart of our nation."

Sen. Tim Scott speaks at the Republican convention, Sept. 9, 2026, in Dallas.
Alex Brandon/AP

Scott pulled open his jacket and pounded his chest as he shouted, "The Democrats' extreme candidates won't rip that heart out of our chests. They hate our culture. They hate what it means to be American. Hear me Dallas? Not on our watch. We won't back down. We will not grow weary. Are you with me?"

Scott went on to criticize Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico for believing that God is non-binary, comments that Talarico has walked back, and took a number of stabs at Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, saying that he "panders with terrorists."

-ABC News' Allison Pecorin

1 hour and 54 minutes ago

Paxton attacks Talarico over his comments on Christianity

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, running in one of the most-watched Senate races this cycle, praised Trump and targeted his opponent, Democrat James Talarico.

Paxton attacked Talarico for his past comments, including saying that God is non-binary and called him the most "radical Democrat" in the history of Texas.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, candidate for US Senate, speaks during the Republican National Midterm Convention at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, Sept. 9, 2026.
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

"He calls himself a Christian who hates Christianity, said God is non-binary. I must have missed that verse in the Bible," Paxton said.

When asked about his comments in recent months, Talarico has said that he missed the mark.

Despite Paxton speaking in his home state, the crowd was not as enthusiastic for him as other candidates. The Talarico attacks got him big cheers, but the parts of his speech focused on policy and platform had the crowd quiet.

-ABC News' Hannah Demissie and Diana Paulsen

2 hours and 25 minutes ago

Democrat Fetterman introduces McCormick via video, says they’ll work together with Trump on steel

Democratic Sen. John Fetterman made a surprise appearance at the convention via video on Wednesday to introduce his fellow Pennsylvanian Sen. Dave McCormick and to distance himself from socialism in his party.

"Yes, I'm Sen. John Fetterman, Pennsylvania. Yes I'm a Democrat. Why am I here talking to you today? Because, well, I'm a common sense Democrat. I'm always going to reject the extremes and socialism and that anti-American way of life" Fetterman said in what appeared to be a pre-recorded message.

Sen. John Fetterman, Democrat from Pennsylvania, is displayed on a screen as he delivers a video message during the Republican National Midterm Convention at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Sept. 9, 2026.
Kent Nishimura/AFP via Getty Images

Fetterman's appearance at a GOP event of this nature is highly atypical, but he notably made no announcement of any intention to change his party affiliation. Instead, he used his brief video, which features him standing in front of a U.S. Steel mill, to tout his willingness to collaborate with Trump and McCormick to "defend the steel way of life right here in the Steel Valley."

-ABC News' Allison Pecorin

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