President of the United States Donald Trump called on supporters of the Republican Party to make sure they turn out for the mid-term elections on 3 November 2026. During his closing speech at the Republican National Convention in Dallas, he jokingly stated that those who do not vote «will end up in hell», and also urged voters to act as if his name were personally on the ballot paper.
«If you don’t vote, you’ll end up in hell»
The statement was made on 10 September at the close of the Republican Party’s first-ever separate convention dedicated to the mid-term elections. The event took place in Dallas.
Trump asked those present to raise their right hands and promise that they would go to the polling stations together with their relatives and friends.
The President then addressed the audience:
«Do you know what will happen if you don’t vote? You’ll end up in hell. You do know that, don’t you? You’ll end up in hell. And I don’t want that to happen to you. So please, go and vote.».
The remark drew laughter from the audience. Trump also called on his supporters to help the Republicans defeat their political opponents. The President himself traditionally refers to some Democrats as «communists».
Trump asks people to imagine that he himself is on the ballot paper
Although the President is not standing for election in the mid-term elections, Trump is effectively trying to turn the vote into a referendum on his policies.
On the very first day of the conference, he stated:
«I’d like you to imagine that I’m on the ballot paper.».
Trump repeated this phrase several times. Reuters notes that the Republican Party’s strategy is largely built around an attempt to mobilise voters who actively support the president but may not turn out to vote if he himself is not among the candidates.
At the same time, this tactic is sparking debate within the party: some Republicans regard Trump as the key asset for mobilising the electorate, whilst others fear that focusing the campaign too heavily on the president could harm candidates in competitive constituencies.
What will be decided in the elections on 3 November?
The US mid-term elections will take place 3 November 2026. Americans will be electing all members of the House of Representatives and some members of the Senate.
For the White House, the outcome is of crucial importance. If the Democrats gain control of at least one chamber of Congress, it will be more difficult for the Trump administration to push through legislative initiatives during the second half of the presidential term.
That is precisely why Trump is actively urging his supporters not to treat the mid-term elections as a minor event and to vote just as enthusiastically as they did in the presidential election.
Trump also promised Americans $5 thousand each
A separate item on the agenda of the congress was the President’s promise to pay out to adult Americans by $5 thousand, if the Republicans retain control of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Trump has dubbed the forthcoming payment the «Trump dividend». However, the President has not set out a detailed mechanism for funding the programme, and its implementation will likely require a decision by Congress. Reuters estimates the potential cost of such a plan at approximately $1.2–1.35 trillion.
Consequently, with less than two months to go before the vote, Trump is increasingly turning the mid-term elections into a campaign centred on his own political persona — from promises of cash handouts to light-hearted warnings of «hell» for those who stay at home.
