'We'll see': Some battleground Republicans set to skip GOP midterm convention next week
Some battleground Republicans said they either aren't going or are undecided.
Ahead of next week's Republican Midterm Convention in Dallas, Texas, which is set to tout President Donald Trump's record at a time when he still faces low approval ratings and a negative political environment, several battleground Republicans told ABC News that they either aren't going to the convention or are still undecided.
Next week, the Republican Party will hold its first-ever midterm convention in an effort to sell its message to voters before the high-stakes midterm elections in November.
Republican Rep. Zach Nunn of Iowa, running in one of the top House districts that Democrats hope to flip this cycle, told ABC News that he will be in his district while the convention is occurring.
"We're going to be back in our district working hard," Nunn said of Iowa's 3rd Congressional District.
Arizona Rep. Juan Ciscomani told ABC News that he will not attend the convention because he has his debate for the state's 6th Congressional District is on Sept. 10, the second night of the convention.
"It's a televised, pre-scheduled debate. We can't move it," Ciscomani said.
Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, running to defend his seat in Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District, said he's still undecided about whether or not he will attend next week's convention, saying it will depend on his schedule.
Asked what the hesitation is with attending the convention, Mackenzie said, "We need to know what's going on at the convention, and we're still waiting to see all the different scheduling items there."
Asked if he thinks it would be better for his reelection bid to be back in his district rather than at the convention, Mackenzie said he'll take a better look at attending the convention once more details fall into place.
"I think we spend all of our time at home as much as possible, and obviously there are political events and activities that come up as well. So, we'll take a look once we have all the people," Mackenzie said.
Even Rep. Lauren Boebert, who is running for reelection in her solidly red Colorado district, is undecided on whether she'll attend the convention next week.
"We'll see," said Boebert, who has criticized Trump, when asked by reporters Wednesday afternoon.
Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, the only Republican senator to win in a state that former Vice President Kamala Harris won in the 2024 election, will also not be attending next week's midterm convention. Collins has long avoided political conventions during election cycles.
The lawmakers' decisions come as a Reuters/Ipsos poll released earlier this week found Trump's approval rating remains at the lowest of either of his two terms, at 33%. Trump is set to attend the convention as well as deliver a keynote address.
Despite several battleground Republicans not attending next week's convention, roughly 100 House Republican members and candidates are expected to be in Dallas; that is still about half of the House GOP and candidates running this fall for reelection.
The House Republican campaign committee is also asking lawmakers and candidates to contribute between $25,000 and $100,000 to the House Republican campaign committee if they plan to attend, multiple Republicans briefed on the request told ABC News.
GOP Rep. Derrick Van Orden, who is running for reelection in Wisconsin's competitive 3rd Congressional District, is one of the House members who will attend next week's convention, writing on X that the event will be an amazing platform to discuss Republicans' wins over the past year and a half.
Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton, Michigan Senate candidate Mike Rogers and Ohio Senate candidate Sen. Jon Husted will both attend next week's convention, according to their campaigns.
Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Scott Perry is also planning to attend, according to a campaign spokesperson; his district -- the state's 10th Congressional District -- is one of four that Democrats are targeting in Pennsylvania.
Even candidates in some of the most critical gubernatorial races are missing next week's convention to campaign in their respective states, candidates said.
Georgia gubernatorial candidate Rick Jackson, who is running against Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms, will not be attending the convention, his campaign said.
Wisconsin GOP gubernatorial candidate Tom Tiffany also will not attend. Tiffany’s campaign told ABC News it has campaign events scheduled in different parts of the state on Sept. 9 and 10.
ABC News' Oren Oppenheim and Gaby Vinick contributed to this report.
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