Washington Examiner executive editor Bob Cusack said crucial independent voters may not be watching the GOP’s midterm convention, and it may be too late to turn their vote anyway.
“A lot of people, like the independents, have turned against the Republicans,” Cusack said on C-Span’s C-SPAN Primetime Wednesday.
“You want to win them, of course,” Cusack said about independent voters, but also noted that President Donald Trump has “really gone down in that department” in gaining their support.
The first-of-its-kind Republican Party 2026 midterm convention is currently being held Sept. 9 and 10 in Dallas and could provide Republicans a chance to change the narrative. The event has focused on Trump and the GOP’s agenda. Trump and Vice President JD Vance are speaking at the convention.
Cusack questioned whether many independents are even watching the convention, saying that the audience is largely made up of “political junkies” and people on the far ends of the political spectrum.
He also said the convention’s conflict with the NFL is posing a viewership problem.
“Looking at the text chain of my friends, they’re all watching football,” Cusack said.
On Thursday night, the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams will compete in an NFL rivalry matchup in Melbourne, Australia, which Netflix will stream.
Cusack emphasized that independents are probably not paying attention to either party right now and are more likely to make their decisions by October.
Regardless, Cusack said challenges within the Republican Party are not going to make it an easy decision for independents.
“I think where we are now, is where we’re going to be,” Cusack said. “I think the war will still be going on, I think gas prices will still be high, the administration made a lot of promises that have not [been] borne out.”
FIVE TAKEAWAYS FROM OPENING NIGHT OF FIRST-EVER GOP MIDTERM CONVENTION
Cusack said election results may already be “baked in” since most voters have already decided whether they like Trump.
“I think if it’s that conventional wisdom, it’s a very rough night for the GOP,” Cusack said.