Trump offered a simple solution to the latter question on Wednesday night. After warning that the sitting president tends to lose the midterms, he told the crowd: “I’m asking you to pretend that I’m on the ballot.”
The remark was an acknowledgement by Trump that he remains the party’s best driver of turnout. It also speaks to the challenge Republicans have both in November and in the next presidential election in 2028.
Trump will not be on the ballot again, and though he can continue campaigning for the party, there is not a clear or obvious successor who can rally the base quite like Trump.
In interviews with the BBC, convention goers often looked ahead to the election in two years’ time and debated who Trump’s successor should be. Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were frequently mentioned as top contenders.
Trump, however, made clear in Dallas that he is still in charge and is not in a hurry to give up the spotlight.