Joe Gruters, Chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC), acknowledges the historical trend of the party in the White House losing Congressional seats in the Midterms. In response, he has initiated an unprecedented Midterm Convention, colloquially known as ‘Trumpapalooza.’ Gruters remarked to Newsweek, ‘To defy history, you need a fresh approach. This election is about turnout, and this event is the beginning of that effort. The next 60 days will see one of the largest grassroots efforts the party has ever launched.’
Since President Donald Trump’s victory in the 2016 election, Republicans have not performed as well in elections where Trump was not on the ballot. Previously, swing-state Republicans did not fully endorse Trump as they do now. During Trump’s first term, traditional Republican leaders like Mitch McConnell and Ronna McDaniel still held significant sway. However, the party’s dynamics shifted when Trump won the primary in 2024 and installed MAGA ally Michael Whatley as the RNC head. Whatley later appointed Gruters as Chairman in August 2025.
Gruters, who served in the Florida House of Representatives before chairing the Florida Republican Party in 2019, became the RNC Treasurer in 2025. He views the modern Republican Party as synonymous with Trump’s Make America Great Again movement. A poll by UMass Amherst conducted in August 2026 shows that about one in six Republicans are distancing themselves from Trump. Gruters aims to reverse this trend by ensuring the party and the president collaborate closely.
‘The President has transformed the party, and the base is unified behind him,’ Gruters told Newsweek. ‘We have the largest political network. It’s crucial to align them with the right goals for success,’ he added, highlighting the RNC’s State Party Strategies.
The RNC’s State Party Strategies (SPS) aims to connect national leadership with state parties. Offering assistance in areas such as political strategy, communications, data, finance, training, and election monitoring, SPS conducted over 300 trainings with 53 state and territory parties in the past year. A core component, the GROW Program, boosts state party operations through three levels: On the Rise, Leaders’ Circle, and Chairman’s Circle. States receive incentives and resources as they progress. In the 2025–2026 cycle, 55 states joined, 45 completed all levels, and state parties received over $2.5 million in incentives.
The Democratic National Committee, under Chair Ken Martin, takes a different approach with steady monthly $1 million investments in state organizing. In financial terms, the DNC holds $16 million in cash with $17.9 million in debt. Meanwhile, the RNC reports a $130.4 million war chest for the midterms, according to FEC filings. Martin emphasized the importance of consistent investment, claiming the DNC has raised $100 million more than during Tom Perez’s tenure.
Gruters believes the financial advantage will play a significant role in November’s results, especially if the Midterm Convention rallies the MAGA base. State party leaders like Alex Triantafilou, Ohio Republican Party Chairman, see Gruters as grassroots-focused. Triantafilou cited Gruters’ regular communication as a means to address fundraising pressures and unity.
Rick Wilson, a Lincoln Project founder and former Florida GOP strategist, criticizes the current RNC as a Trump-centric entity, rather than a genuine political party. He views Gruters as benefiting from the system rather than a grassroots pioneer. Wilson told Newsweek, ‘The party today is Trump’s branding, controlled by loyalists managing MAGA Inc.’ Gruters, however, refutes this, asserting collaborative efforts with Vice President JD Vance, the RNC Finance Chairman, to forward party strategy and maintain constant communication with Trump.
Gruters’ strength is rooted in his Florida experience, where he and Governor Ron DeSantis turned the state Republican during their terms in 2019-2023. At that time, Democrats outnumbered Republicans, yet by 2023, Republicans gained a lead. Evan Power, Florida GOP Chairman, observed Gruters’ commitment to investing in state parties reminiscent of their county efforts.
As Gruters continues visiting states to bolster party initiatives, he remains confident that the president’s popularity with core Republicans will drive future election wins. For Gruters, ensuring the president’s success is paramount. He stated, ‘There’s zero daylight between me and the president, and our entire party is dedicated to his success.’