As with everything President Trump touches, his party’s midterm mini-convention was a spectacle. Slick videos, light shows, balloons, U.F.C. fighters, Lee Greenwood and a sea of sparkles and sequins covering thousands of MAGA devotees. However you characterize “Dallas 2026,” the Republican Party’s midterm convention was an extended opportunity for this president, feeling his impermanence, to drive home: Everything is still all about me, so don’t wriggle away.

The president’s face and name were splashed everywhere. Attendees shelled out big bucks for Trump wear: hats, shirts, jackets. The merch fell into two categories: gear sporting the basic Dallas 2026 logo, alongside Trumpy MAGA options. Plus copies of Eric Trump’s book near the checkout counter.

Mr. Trump was the closing act both nights. Program participants had two jobs: praise the president and terrify the faithful about the communist hellscape a Democratic victory would usher in. The arena was not, despite his assertions, packed. For much of the program, the crowd was low energy. A couple of congressional leaders, such as Representatives Tom Emmer and Steve Scalise, riled up the troops with Dem bashing. But people spent time on phones or staring off, tired and disengaged. Until the president took the stage. Then the joint was jumping.

These were Mr. Trump’s people, sitting through nearly two hours of his trademark “weave.” He opened centering himself: When he is on the ballot, Republicans do well; when he isn’t, they don’t. He pleaded for people to break the midterm curse by pretending he was on the ballot. Then came his usual themes: a factually sketchy list of accomplishments; griping about being underappreciated; attacks on the media; claims of voter fraud; and demonization of Democrats. So much Red-baiting that I half expected the ghost of Joe McCarthy to take the stage. As for chatter that he might drag down candidates? Not in his telling, where he remains Republicans’ only hope. “I’m going to go to every one of those states for congressmen and for senators” in close races, he vowed. “In a couple of cases, I’ll go twice.” Message: I am still the only one who can save them. In the distance, you could almost hear Republican candidates in purple districts hyperventilating.