Republicans wanting a photo with Donald Trump in Dallas this week were asked to pay $88,600 (about £68,000). Politico contacted over 70 candidates and members of Congress; 45 said they were not attending or had not decided yet. While the party promoted the event as a display of strength, the guest list has also revealed who is willing to stand alongside Trump.
No major political party has held a midterm convention in over 40 years, with no presidential candidate to select and no formal nomination business to conduct. This means attending is a choice rather than a duty, just eight weeks before the 3 November vote. As a result, every empty seat can be seen as a sign of who is choosing not to attend.
