# Texas GOP splits the economy into two stories > At a Dallas convention built around Trump, Republicans claimed the tax cuts and blamed Democrats for the prices. - Title: Texas GOP splits the economy into two stories | Shortify - Summary: At a Dallas convention built around Trump, Republicans claimed the tax cuts and blamed Democrats for the prices. The Texas GOP is betting voters will credit… - Keywords: texas politics, midterms, economy, republicans, campaigns, news, local, Texas, GOP, splits, two, stories - Source: The Texas Tribune — https://feeds.texastribune.org/link/16799/17444980/gop-midterm-convention-dallas-texas-economy-high-costs-tax-cuts - Author: Gabby Birenbaum, Kayla Guo - Published: 2026-09-11T03:10:02+00:00 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: texas politics, midterms, economy, republicans, campaigns, news, local ## Two economies, one stage At the GOP midterm convention in Dallas, Texas Republicans praised their own tax breaks while pinning grocery and gas prices on Democrats. ## The bet of the midterms Republican fortunes hinge on voters splitting their feelings the same way. Affordability has ranked as the top issue all cycle. ## What speakers praised No tax on tips, investment accounts for children, and the extension of Trump's 2017 tax cuts got repeated applause lines. ## What nobody mentioned Tariffs and the gas price rise that followed the war with Iran went unspoken by everyone except Trump himself. ## Trump owns the gas prices He retold the complaint he hears and answered it with Iran's nuclear program rather than the pump price. > I wish you didn't do the war in Iran. Gasoline's up. ## Tied to all of it Candidates in tough races want to dodge Iran and the trade war, but an event billed as Trump-a-palooza binds them to the unpopular parts too. ## Paxton's pitch The Senate nominee proposed tax breaks for healthcare and housing costs, and admitted Texans are working harder without getting ahead. > working harder than ever, but still worry that they will never get ahead ## Taxes as the attack Paxton hit James Talarico for opposing the 2025 megabill, framing it as a plan to tax tips, overtime and Social Security. > He wants to tax your tips. He wants to tax your overtime. ## Talarico wants this fight The Democrat runs on high costs, a rigged economy, higher taxes on corporations and billionaires, and a minimum wage increase. > sold the false Gospel of trickle-down economics ## The socialism line wobbles Speakers warned of Democratic taxes and socialism, then Trump called for $5,000 dividends to every American adult. Paxton said he would back it. ## South Texas siblings Carlos and Monica De La Cruz talked about humble beginnings, credited the GOP for tax cuts, and blamed Democrats for prices. > I know what a stack of bills looks like on a kitchen table. ## Democrats aim at tariffs The House campaign arm tied Monica De La Cruz to tariffs, Medicaid cuts and the Iran war, the exact items the stage skipped. ## Border and red meat instead Eric Flores and Tano Tijerina spoke on immigration. Ted Cruz focused on sharia law and painted Democrats as communists. ## Abbott and Patrick go biblical Both framed the race as light against dark and capitalism against godless communism, without touching the rising costs hitting every state. > conservative values have made Texas the strongest economy on the planet ## The counterprogramming Democrats ran ads on Trump's own words about inflation and argued GOP deals for big corporations are what drove costs up. > Trump's trickle-up economics is taking money out of your pocket ## Key takeaway The Texas GOP is betting voters will credit Republicans for tax breaks while still blaming Biden and Democrats for what groceries and gas cost.