Host Committee Co-Chair Ray Washburne speaks Aug. 5 about the Republican Party’s first-ever midterm convention at American Airlines Center.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
In just 27 days, the private group seeking support for President Donald Trump’s Republican convention in Dallas says it raised $45 million to help stage the two-day event next month.
The Dallas 2026 Host Committee said contributions came from individuals and companies in Dallas, across Texas and nationwide. Like similar committees, it did not name donors or say how much each group gave.
Ray Washburne, a developer and committee co-chair, said the group had “met its fundraising goals” and looked forward to “celebrating everything Dallas” at the GOP gathering Sept. 9–10 at American Airlines Center.
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“Donors were excited to support this historic event coming to Dallas since it is another way to showcase a vibrant downtown, our expertise in hosting large, high-profile events and our Texas hospitality,” he told The Dallas Morning News.
Related: Who pays Dallas costs at Trump convention?
The fundraising total marks a major milestone as organizers work to turn Trump’s late-June announcement into a production that will put Dallas at the center of national politics.
The committee said the money it raised will help promote Dallas, support its economy and local businesses, defray local government costs and put on a safe event. It has not provided a breakdown of how the funds will be divided among those purposes or said whether they will cover the city’s full costs.
Dallas officials plan to track their expenses, but have not said who they would ask to repay the city or how much Dallas could recover.
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The nonprofit committee can accept donations of any size, which may be tax-deductible. It said in an email to The News it will not disclose its donors, which is typical for committees that host Republican and Democratic nominating conventions.
Consumer advocacy groups have long pressed political parties to identify convention donors and sponsors, saying the public should know who is paying and what access or other benefits contributors receive.
Related: Dallas’ last GOP convention left taxpayers a bill. What about this one?
Unlike the national conventions held every four years to nominate a presidential ticket, the September event will conduct no party business. Instead, it’s meant to rally supporters, boost GOP candidates and promote Trump’s policies before the November elections.
Although programming has not been released, organizers promise the feel of a traditional convention, with speeches from Trump and other leading Republicans, entertainment and “delegates” seated by state in the arena.
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Donor firepower
Organizers of traditional conventions often spend several months to two years raising donations to support national political conventions. The speed and scale of the Dallas fundraising effort did not surprise those familiar with the Republican donor network.
“If there’s one thing that I know is that if the Republicans need to raise $30 million to $40 million, they can do it,” said Andrew Cates, a San Antonio-based attorney who specializes in legislative and campaign law. “They’ve got a good bench of funders that are ready to put in millions or multimillion dollar contributions as needed.”
Washburne, who is former finance chairman for the Republican National Committee, said the convention will draw more than 20,000 people from across the country and generate more than $50 million in local economic impact. The committee, in its email, did not provide an analysis behind those estimates.
He added the committee will recruit more than 1,500 volunteers to help put it on.
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Related: Trump’s Dallas GOP convention puts out a help-wanted sign for volunteers
Besides Washburne, the committee’s leaders include his wife, Heather Washburne, Dallas philanthropists and GOP donors Kenny and Lisa Troutt and Trent Morse, a former Trump aide.
Kirstin Hopkins and Cara Mason, fundraisers for the host committee at the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, also joined the Dallas effort.
Funding questions
Brendan Steinhauser, an Austin-based Republican consultant, expects contributors to include some from Dallas’ previous 2016 GOP convention bid, the oil and gas industry and technology leaders who have shifted toward Trump.
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“It’s definitely seen as a Trump-endorsed, Trump-sanctioned, Trump-promoted event,” Steinhauser said. “It’s going to help a lot more people show up.”
Related: Inside Trump’s plan for Dallas: What we know about the GOP convention
For years, consumer advocates, campaign-finance watchdogs and government-transparency groups have tracked companies and lobbying interests sponsoring conventions and called for stronger oversight of private financing.
It’s unclear whether the Dallas 2026 Host Committee has registered with the Federal Election Commission.
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Host committees for nominating conventions must register with the agency and file reports detailing receipts and spending, including a postconvention report.