House Speaker Mike Johnson revealed on Wednesday that President Donald Trump’s newly proposed idea for a Republican midterm convention — a concept he publicly teased last week — is now close to becoming an official GOP undertaking. Johnson said Trump contacted him personally to discuss the idea, which the Speaker enthusiastically endorsed.

According to Johnson, the call came unexpectedly. “The president rang me when I was on the road, maybe a week ago when this first hit the news,” the Louisiana Republican recalled during a press briefing. Trump presented the idea with characteristic flair: “‘Mike, I’ve got a great idea… how about a midterm convention?’”

Johnson said Trump described the concept as something never before attempted on such a scale. Trump suggested it would act as a massive rallying point just ahead of the 2026 midterm elections — a moment to energize supporters and build dramatic momentum. Johnson said he immediately saw the appeal. In his words, the idea was nothing short of “genius.”

The Speaker said Trump emphasized the party’s accomplishments since the 2024 election and argued that the fall of 2026 offered a perfect window to showcase achievements, unify the base, and celebrate progress. Johnson added that Trump “loves the big show,” and intended to loop in Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters to finalize the concept.

Johnson said that by the time the news about the midterm convention broke publicly, he had only just finished speaking with Trump. “So, I think that’s a done deal now,” he said. “I’m really excited about it. We have so much to celebrate.”

Democrats, upon learning of the proposal, began weighing whether to host a competing midterm convention of their own in preparation for their attempt to reclaim control of Congress in 2026. Johnson brushed off the idea as comical. “If they’re going to put on display what they did at their little workshop a couple weeks ago, bring it,” he remarked. He added that Republicans needed only to choose the right location and begin organizing.

Trump originally floated the national midterm convention idea as a way to rally Republicans for 2026, pointing to the gains the party made after his 2024 victory over Democrat Kamala Harris. Midterm conventions are rare outside presidential years, but Trump argued this one would galvanize the party and highlight what he views as a rejuvenated GOP coalition.

Republicans will be defending their congressional majority heading into the midterms, even as history shows the ruling party typically loses seats in off-year elections. However, the GOP is also expected to benefit from redistricting opportunities in several Republican-led states, including Texas, which is exploring mid-census map changes that could expand the party’s advantage. Democrats have considered similar strategies but have fewer states in which such moves could gain them additional House seats.

Johnson reiterated his confidence during a Fox News interview last week, asserting that Republicans won “every aspect” of the 2024 race and forecasting that the GOP is positioned to “perform well in next year’s midterms.”

Trump, too, has expressed optimism. In a Truth Social post, he celebrated the party’s performance and fundraising strength. He claimed that “millions of people” had joined the renewed push to “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN” and argued that the United States was recovering due to Republican leadership. Trump noted the party’s growing financial advantage and said Republicans were repairing what he called “country-destroying mistakes” made during the Biden administration.

Calling recent results “incredible” and at “a record pace,” Trump said he was considering formally recommending a national midterm convention to the GOP. “It has never been done before,” he wrote. “STAY TUNED!!!”

The momentum behind the proposed convention comes at a moment of significant political realignment. The Democratic Party is confronting a sharp erosion in voter registrations nationwide as Republicans gain ground, boosted by Trump’s expanding electoral coalition.

A New York Times analysis of data from L2, a nonpartisan firm that tracks voter registration, revealed a striking shift. For the first time since 2018, more new voters registered as Republicans than Democrats. The trend emerged after the 2024 election, during which Trump made unexpected inroads among men, younger voters, and Latino communities.

The report found that in all 30 states where voter registration is tracked by party, Democrats lost registrants to Republicans between 2020 and 2024 — often by substantial margins. Overall, Democrats shed an estimated 2.1 million registered voters, while Republicans added approximately 2.4 million, totaling a 4.5-million-voter swing.

As both parties prepare for an unusually high-stakes midterm election cycle, Trump’s proposed convention signals the GOP’s intention to seize the political moment and showcase its growing strength ahead of 2026.