The Brief

While happy hours are embedded into today’s culture, the social practice of gathering for scheduled merriment is said to have started over a hundred years ago. The U.S. Navy began organizing entertainment periods — happy hours — in the early 1900s so the sailors could commingle, smoke, imbibe, and entertain themselves. As expected, these "sessions" caught on rapidly and grew in popularity over the next several decades with other military branches and civilians.

However, the fact that happy hour became so widespread led it to become regulated in certain places. Several states ended up banning happy hour deals to curtail binge drinking, disorderly conduct, and drunk driving. California is not on the restricted list, however, so we can enjoy the perks of happy hour nationwide.

Here in the South Bay, the good news for customers is that restaurant proprietors have recently offered some of their best tipples and dishes at bargain rates to bring back pre-pandemic crowds. And who doesn’t love a good deal, especially in this economy? The flip side is that the hours tend to be pretty limited, with fewer menu options available.

Here are 10 under-the-radar gems in the South Bay, including a few that have coveted weekend specials. Grab some work colleagues, volleyball buddies or date and hit these spots up; keep in mind that prices, menu options, and hours are all subject to change. And like most things in life, moderation is key, so please drink responsibly.

The Wood Urban Kitchen (Inglewood)

Craft cocktails from The Wood

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Jackie Grubs

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The Wood Urban Kitchen

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Inglewood has become a hot destination over the last few years, primarily due to the SoFi Stadium/YouTube Theater complex that T. Swift, Beyonce, the Rams, and Chargers call home. The town of 100,000 robust boasts a proud history highlighted by several LA Lakers titles, hip-hop stars, and the Hollywood Park casino and racetrack.

Still, to some, it was never really known as a dining destination. That has all changed recently as fans and visitors have been flocking to many of the decades-old soul food and Caribbean walk-ups before and after events, and the once-quiet Market Street District is now the place to be.

The Wood Urban Kitchen, a lively barbecue grill and sports bar right in the heart of the action, is worth swinging by for a drink, some flavorful smoked meat, a DJ spinning tunes, and wall-to-wall games. Though not as cheap as other places on this list, the Wood’s evening and late-night happy hour menu includes discounts on some of the best food and cocktail options at a reasonable fare.

Fill up on $13 brisket sliders, $8 fried zucchini, $15 brisket chili fries, $6 domestic beers, and $10 blueberry margaritas before heading down to SoFi, or stick around and soak up the vibe instead.

Proud Bird (LAX)

Entry way to the food stalls and aerospace artifacts: Look up for a WWII plane.

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Samantha Alvarado

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Specialty Restaurants Corp

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There is an old proverb that states, “What is old is new again,” which perfectly applies to the esteemed Proud Bird.

Opened in 1967, just a few hundred feet from an LAX runway, the Proud Bird was a popular fine dining restaurant for almost 50 years, but it fell on hard times in the early 2000s. But like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the venerable institution returned as a micro food hall and aerospace museum in 2017, thanks to original owner David Tallichet’s son John taking over after his father passed.

Out went the dated menu and ambiance; in came BBQ pitmaster extraordinaire Kevin Bludso and celebrity chef Ted Hopson to modernize the dining experience. Multiple gourmet food stalls were added, including Bludso’s BBQ, a build-your-own-pizza station, and a chicken and waffles stand, and the beverage program was completely revamped.

Now, there are several replica planes on site, as well as exhibits dedicated to pilots of yesteryear. There is also a lovely outdoor space and kids’ play area so friends and family can watch massive jumbo jets take off and land at one of the world’s busiest airports.

On the drink side, the Mile High Bar’s happy hour is limited, but $4 beers, $5 house drinks, and wines, and select $8 cocktails Tuesday through Sunday afternoon are hard to top. There are occasional food specials, but the real draw is the aerospace-themed entertainment spread throughout the venue, including the real-time digital takeoffs and landings map. Grab a pop or two, poke around the food bazaar, explore, and enjoy the views.

Enjoy a pint, chicken tenders and waffle fries while plane spotting.

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Samantha Alvarado

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Specialty Restaurants Corp

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Tapizôn Bar and Kitchen (El Segundo)

It might sound surprising at first, but Brazilian cuisine is very prevalent in the South Bay and the greater Los Angeles area as a whole. Fogo de Chão, the global churrascaria empire, has been packed since it opened on the Rosecrans corridor in mid-2022.

Casual places like Panelas and Brazilian Plate House have been around longer, serving home-style meals in Redondo Beach and Torrance, respectively. Don’t forget about the much healthier açaí spots that tend to have lengthy morning lines, namely Paradise Bowls in Manhattan Beach and Açaí Republic in Torrance.

Crispy cheese fritters known as dadinho de tapioca from Tapizôn.

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Felipe Marcondes

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Tapizôn

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El Segundo’s Tapizôn Bar and Kitchen can also be added to the list of cafés Brasileiros in the area; this relative newcomer is on the corner of Main and Pine underneath the Ô sign. Open since late 2021, Tapizôn is slinging traditional Brazilian dishes like pao de queijo, feijoada, and picanha with innovative twists in an elegantly tropical indoor/outdoor space.

The drinks are also flowing, so be sure to try a traditional caipirinha cocktail made with cachaça liqueur, a Leopoldina craft beer, or a ‘cafezinho’ which is a strong coffee brewed with pure Brazilian beans mixed with a pinch of brown sugar and cream.

A popsicle-infused caipirinha at Tapizôn.

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Felipe Marcondes

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Tapizôn

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Open Tuesday through Sunday, the weekday afternoon happy hour menu includes most of the menu’s marquee starters, or "pratinhos," at modest prices and is a good intro into some of Brazil’s most famous food and drink. To get the full picture, make a point to come back and try some of the non-happy hour items too, like the churrasco mixed grill plate alongside a cup of pumpkin soup topped off with the delectable tapioca brigadeiro dessert.

X Speakeasy (Manhattan Beach)

If you’re in the mood to try something off the beaten path, but still hidden in plain view, downtown Manhattan Beach just so happens to have not one but two unique cocktail joints within a few blocks of each other. The first, X Speakeasy, occupies the side annex of David Slay’s newest venture Fête, a hip French-Mediterranean bistro. Although quarters are tight, the lounge uses minimal space, live music is on most evenings, and delightful small bites and appetizers are brought over from Slay’s kitchen next door. Oysters, deviled eggs, steak tartare, and hummus with freshly baked pita are available during “Magic Hour,” and beer, wine, and cocktails are half off. X is worth visiting before word spreads.

The steak tartare at X Speakeasy.

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John Trenz & Jessie Hopkins

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X Speakeasy

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The other watering hole is Sand Bar 66, which resides on the corner of Manhattan Avenue and 9th underneath the notorious members-only 900 Club. Sand Bar is smaller than X, but it was recently remodeled to resemble an airy beachfront cottage. Like X, Sand Bar, relies on the 900 Club’s kitchen, so service can run a bit slow since upstairs orders are the priority. However, expect items like meatballs, lamb chops, sliders, and wings complemented by standard cocktails with mid- to top-shelf brands.

Between the two, X is this author’s pick based on the better specials and extra breathing room, but there’s no harm in trying both and deciding for yourself.

Rockefeller (Hermosa Beach)

If you think overseeing operations for one restaurant is difficult, consider the stress of running three plus being an active partner in at least two others. Hat tip to South Bay natives Chris Bredesen and Allen Sanford for doing just that with the Rockefeller franchise, a trio of reputable gastropubs in Manhattan, Hermosa, and Redondo that have been thriving over the last decade.

The Manhattan Meatballs at Rockefeller in Hermosa Beach.

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Chris Bredesen

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Rockefeller

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The two developed a business relationship in the aughts through a few other ventures. Still, the Rockefeller locations (and the BeachLife concerts for Sanford) have been the most prolific for the pair.

Rockefeller has a lot of similarities to another notable mini-chain in Simmzy’s, but the former owns the South Bay brunch, burgers, and beer market share, in this writer’s opinion. The specials are the main differentiator, and Rockefeller’s $2 burgers on Tuesday evenings — valid with purchase of an alcoholic drink or two non-alcoholic drinks — and weekday happy hour are big hits with its clientele (RIP to dollar oyster Mondays, a previous deal no longer available).

The happy hour menu rotates occasionally, but the scrumptious meatballs, chips and guacamole or queso, and truffle macaroni and cheese are $6 each — an absolute steal. There are also a few local craft beers and select reds and whites on offer, and you can easily get full and happy for less than $40.

L & B Coastal (Hermosa Beach)

A love of cycling is front and center at L&B Coastal.

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Jeff Szpylman

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L&B Coastal

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Fish tacos are to Southern California what lobster rolls are to the Northeast: polarizing regional dishes that will stir up strong feelings within natives from both coasts. Should the fish be grilled or fried? Lobster chilled with mayo or warm with butter? What type of tortilla is best?

The debate could go on for a while, but there is one thing that I think we can all agree upon — not much beats a fish taco or a lobster roll with an ice-cold beer on a warm summer day.

I am partial to grilled fish tacos with light slaw and warm lobster rolls with butter, but I know others feel strongly about different preparations, which is all part of the fun.

Thankfully, there is a new seafood shack in Hermosa that just so happens to serve all of the above with a focus on lobster and beer (thus the name Lobster & Beer Coastal, or L&B Coastal for short).

Connecticut-style lobster roll with potato wedges at L&B Coastal.

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Jeff Szpylman

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L&B Coastal

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Loosely affiliated with the Lobster and Beer mini-franchise that has a few other locations in L.A., L&B Coastal took over the sizeable lot that used to house Hot’s Kitchen. The building was refreshed to imitate a breezy surf shack, and the menu is dotted with quality seafood options.

Maine- and Connecticut-style lobster rolls are available along with lobster tacos, lobster mac, lobster bisque, lobster tails, and grilled tilapia tacos. There are also several craft beers on tap, a short but decent wine selection, and summery 48-proof cocktails like a Paloma, spicy margarita, and sangria. The best part about L&B Coastal is the daily happy hour, though, especially since one of the main drawbacks of lobster is the high price point.

As a tradeoff, L&B’s happy hour menu includes some of its best-sellers at steep discounts, including the lobster tacos for $11.50, shrimp roll for $13.50, lobster quesadilla for $12.25, lobster mac bites at $7.50 for 4, and a $5.50 draft IPA. The lobster rolls remain at a total price of just under $22, but throw one or two in for good measure and let the discourse continue.

Georgia's Lounge (Redondo Beach)

Only one place has morphed from a biker bar to a modern speakeasy in the area, and that’s Georgia’s Lounge in Redondo Beach. Housed in a nondescript charcoal gray building along the Aviation curve between a dental office and triathlon store, Georgia’s opened in late 2018, completely revamping the notorious punk rock dive Gasser Lounge that departed a few years prior.

Beer and tacos at Georgia’s Lounge

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Keary Bixby

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Georgia’s Lounge

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Named after one of the owner’s grandmothers, Georgia’s has a moody vibe, an excellent cocktail program, rotating beers on tap, and a short but diverse food menu. Where else can you find a hanger steak, caprese on sourdough, chicken street tacos, warm naan with hummus, and a pumpkin espresso martini?

Georgia’s is mainly known for its signature cocktails, which range from classic riffs (the "Grandma Georgia" Old Fashioned staple) to funky (the "Garden Martini" is a mix of gin, lemongrass, fortified wine, and bergamot) to "healthy" (the "Drink Me" has tequila, carrot, honey, ginger, and lime). Still, the beer and wine offerings are also unique and constantly changing based on seasonality and feedback from regulars.

The absolute best part? Prices are affordable on the standard menu, with all cocktails in the $15-16 range, and the daily happy hour that runs Tuesday through Saturday lightens the load even more. Throw on a blazer and head over to Georgia’s — you won’t be disappointed.

Hudson House (Redondo Beach)

You can't help but pook up at the bar area at Hudson House.

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Kate Failor

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Hudson House

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Located on PCH in the commuter-heavy stretch between Hermosa and Redondo, it is almost impossible to miss Hudson House. Just look for the bright, ornate mural filled with stick figures, caricatures, doodles, and other random symbols, and you’ve arrived. Though the interior is not as colorful as the exterior, the tasteful yacht club motif is still warm and welcoming, and the menu reflects the gastropub’s unpretentious mood as well.

Handhelds such as the pretzel bun burger, loaded street dog with tots, and shrimp and lobster roll are all quite popular. Southern influences are also apparent with items like the sweet corn cake, cheddar serrano grit fritters, and brown sugar pork ribs available.

Still can’t figure out what you want? Give the fish tacos or fish and chips a shot, and save space for a chocolate chip skillet cookie, bread pudding, or cheesecake. The happy hour menu is slightly more limited food-wise, but there are plenty of options to mix and match, and prices are significantly reduced. Libations-wise, cocktails like The OG (tequila, serrano chiles, watermelon, lime, and agave) and Sunny Daze Mule with pear are almost half-off or give the $6 draft Skyduster lager a shot instead.

The regular menu, which also includes brunch, has many more options, but the happy hour menu makes up for its pricing. And I’d be remiss not to mention that the original Hudson House proprietor was Top Chef winner Brooke Williamson, who passed the torch on to current owners Kate Failor and Ashley Failor in late 2020. The transition was smooth since the quality and creativity remained top-drawer (with some help from the mural).

The exterior mural at Hudson House is impossible to miss.

Vida Modern Mexican + Tequila (Redondo Beach)

There is no shortage of cost-effective Mexican restaurants across the greater South Bay, and most locals have their go-tos (ours are Tacos El Goloso in Hermosa and El Sombrero in Manhattan). However, significantly fewer places in town are serving such a wide variety of well-executed and reasonably-priced dishes like Redondo Beach’s Vida, opened in October 2021 by Mickey Mance of legendary Mickey’s Deli in Hermosa and Justin Essman of Tower 12/Baja Sharkeez fame.

Taco flight from Vida

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McKenzie Walton

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MW Marketing

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The pair sought to add a more contemporary yet casual take on Baja-focused cuisine to the Catalina Village district of Redondo Beach, and the primary focus is on "craft" tacos and ceviches.

The most efficient move is to go with a few friends or a date and order one or two tacos from each category (surf, turf, veggie, and elevated or ’por vida’) and share. Throw in a few sopes, a cup of albondigas soup, and scallop ceviche, and you’ll be more than full for just around $100, including drinks. Even better, Vida also offers several specials, including Margarita Mondays ($6 margaritas), Taco Tuesdays ($3.50 street tacos), and a well-rounded weekday happy hour running Monday through Friday afternoons that includes discounts on most of the tacos and ceviches as well as an $11 Cadillac margarita.

Though Vida’s plain décor could be improved ever so slightly, the menu is extensive, service is solid, and prices are pretty fair given the quality and portion size. Don’t go too crazy on the addictive Tajín-seasoned chips since you’ll need to save some room for the rest of the meal.

Madre! Oaxacan Restaurant and Mezcaleria (Torrance)

The American dream is truly attainable — just ask Ivan Vazquez, owner of Madre!, about his journey. Long story short, he was born in Oaxaca, moved to L.A. in his teens, started from the bottom at Baja Fresh and worked his way up to regional management, and then left to open four Oaxacan restaurants/mezcalerias across L.A. County in honor of his mother.

Oysters topped with chapulines at Madre!

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Annie Goldenberg

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White Oak Communications

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For those less familiar, Oaxaca is a Mexican state southeast of Mexico City with a proud culinary history, and mole and mezcal are the region’s most famous food and drink, respectively.

There are several other dishes and beverages indigenous to Oaxaca, such as tlayudas (similar-ish to pizza but with a tortilla "crust"), chapulines (grasshoppers), and pulque (a thick agave-based liqueur). Vazquez does his best to include as many Oaxacan specialties as possible in his four Madre! locations (Palms, West Hollywood, and Valencia are the other three), but mole, mezcal, and grilled meats get the most shine.

The Torrance location usually has nightly live music, and weekday happy hour runs from 3 to 6 p.m., offering tacos, tortas, oysters with chapulines, and mole enchiladas in addition to house mezcal, tequila, margaritas, and draft beers all at cut-rate prices. It can get crowded, so be sure to snag a reservation before heading over just to be safe.

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

Colorful parade floats, charros on horseback and live music will take over Cesar E. Chavez Avenue on Sunday for the 80th East L.A. Mexican Independence Day Parade.

For decades, organizers have brought together community leaders, performers, businesses and organizations to celebrate culture, community and tradition. This year, the parade will culminate in a festival with family-friendly activations, including live music, local vendors and lucha libre. 

This year’s co-grand marshals are singer and actor Dasahev López Saavedra, better known as El Dasa, and Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis.

Here’s everything you need to know.

When is the parade and festival?

The parade runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 13. The festival takes place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on First Street and Mednik Avenue. 

What’s the parade route? 

The 1.5-mile route will run along Cesar E. Chavez Avenue, starting at Mednik Avenue and ending on Gage Avenue. You can find a map of the parade route and other festivities on the festival’s webpage here. Early arrival is suggested to secure a viewing spot for the parade. 

A map of the East LA Mexican Independence Day Parade route.

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Courtesy of the organizers

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What streets will be closed?

• Mednik Avenue: Between 1st Street and Cesar E. Chavez from 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13.
• Cesar E. Chavez Avenue: Between Vancouver Avenue and Gage Avenue from 6  a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13.

What can I expect at the festivities?

The parade will feature floats, show cars, representatives from Eastside organizations, equestrian teams, marching bands and folklórico dancers. 

The festival will include vendors, musical performances, resource booths, a pop-up from local boutique The Goddess Mercado, a free pet vaccination clinic that will administer free vaccines for the first 200 pets, and a free lucha libre showcase by East Los Lucha. 

Where can I park? 

Limited free parking will be available at the East L.A. Civic Center lot located on E. 3rd Street and Civic Center Way. Attendees can also find street parking in the surrounding area. 

Can I take public transit to the event? 

The Metro E Line’s East L.A. Civic Center station is just a short walk from the event. 

What if I don’t want to attend in person? 

If you’re unable to attend or want to watch the parade from home, you can tune in to the live broadcast on ABC7. 

For more information, check out the website here. 

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

Robbie Hall has a record of the people she has treated for overdoses at MacArthur Park.

The photos of many of the people she has treated are saved on her phone. She can scroll through them and remember each one.

Hall, an ambassador with the nonprofit Five Keys, has been doing this work for about four years and is at the park almost every day, carrying Naloxone, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses.

She typically responds when someone stops breathing.

“I stopped counting when I got up in my 40s, because it started being gradually three of them, four of them,” Hall said. 

On a recent September morning at the park, Hall said she found a 14-year-old girl in a bathroom who was experiencing an overdose. Tears welled up as she talked about the people she encounters at the park.

“They need help, they need help,” she said. “This is every day.” 

She believes the city needs to address the problem. When asked about the plans to fence the park, she said she sees the fence as one way to improve the conditions she sees on the ground.

“They need to put something up here,” she said.

For Hall and others who work around the park, the fence is less a solution than a stopgap, something concrete to try amid problems that have proven harder to solve.

The Department of Recreation and Parks says the fence will be temporary and is still on track for construction this fall, but has not provided a specific date, cost estimate or explained what conditions would need to change before the fence comes down.

Marco Pacheco, president of the MacArthur Park Park Advisory Board, does not believe the fence will be temporary. 

“I think this is going to be permanent,” Pacheco said. “This is going to be a permanent fixture of some sort because first of all, you don’t put up a fence that costs millions of dollars to take it down. It doesn’t make any sense.”

Pacheco isn’t the only one who has doubts.

Richard Barron, who served on the Cultural Heritage Commission for 22 years before departing in July, also questioned whether the city would follow through on its promise to remove the fence.

“I doubt that the fence is going to come down,” Barron said, “especially when they’ve spent all that money. Even taking it down costs a lot of money, you know, and you’re going to throw all that material away?”

The Board of Recreation and Park Commissioners approved $2.3 million in funding for the project. The city has not said how much money will ultimately be spent on the fence.

Everyone has a different idea of what the fence will do

The city’s consultants have described a fence that would be transparent, reversible and designed to blend into the park.

Leila Hamroun, a senior preservation architect with Tetra Tech, the consulting firm working with the city on the project’s design, said the fence won’t be a dominant feature.

“The whole intent here is to guarantee that it just blends in, that it’s seamless,” Hamroun said. “It’s reversible, transparent, minimalist, consistent with the evolution of urban parks over time.”

A rendering shows the proposed green metal fence around MacArthur Park.

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Courtesy L.A. Recreation and Parks

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The fence is expected to be about 8 feet tall, with gates at eight existing entrances. Decorative elements would be considered separately, with community input expected next year.

For Michelle Garcia, who has been a vendor around MacArthur Park since 2015, it could help distinguish vendors from the people living in the park.

“I support it if they could get the homeless people out,” Garcia said. “They are the ones that make MacArthur Park look bad. But they also make us look bad, because we sell around the area, so they think we’re like them, which we’re not.”

Garcia was among a group of vendors at MacArthur Park who held a Sept. 2 press conference to call attention to what they described as police harassment and citations that pushed vendors away from the park.

“Like us, we’re trying to work and get money for our bills, our rent,” she said.

Police have their own expectations for what a fenced park could accomplish.

The Los Angeles Police Department has stepped up enforcement around the park through a joint task force with the Drug Enforcement Administration focused on drug dealing in the area. In July, Rampart Division Capt. Benedict Fernandes said the operation had significantly disrupted the drug trade, but that drug users were spreading into surrounding neighborhoods in search of narcotics.

“We know that all the communities around have been impacted because it got spread this way, sort of like a shotgun blast,” he said. “It went south, it went east, it went north, it went west.”

Fernandes said the next phase of the enforcement effort would focus on connecting unhoused people and drug users with shelter and recovery services.

The fence, he said, is meant to make the park less convenient for drug activity and “prevent crime” inside the park.

“Because that’s the problem,” Fernandes said. “The Alvarado corridor at MacArthur Park has been convenient for drug users for years. We’re just trying to make those things stop.”

Fernandes said the temporary fence along Alvarado and now the orange bollards installed in the area, have worked to disrupt that activity. 

But Hall, the outreach worker administering Narcan at the park, has not seen those types of improvements on the ground.

“Since they did that big bust? No, it got worse,” Hall said when asked whether she had seen fewer overdoses in the area.

She said people wait for police to leave the park before returning.

“If it wasn’t for Five Keys, there would be a lot more dead bodies here,” she said.

Some residents say that adding a fence around MacArthur Park would change the makeup of the neighborhood. Others welcome a change to the troubled park.

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Gary Coronado

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The LA Local

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How the fence is supposed to work

The plan calls for the park to remain open during the day, with eight entry points, and close overnight from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. LAPD would close the gates at night, and Recreation and Parks maintenance workers would reopen them each morning.

The department says the fence is intended to make the park easier to maintain. Illegal dumping, littering, vandalism and graffiti have made routine maintenance difficult, according to the department, which has said MacArthur Park generates more graffiti cleanup requests than nearby Lafayette Park.

The city has pointed to nearby Lafayette Park, which is fenced and closed at night, as a model for MacArthur Park.

Pacheco, the president of the park’s advisory board, said he has heard general support for the fence among community members. 

“In many cases, community members alluded to Lafayette Park having been fenced for a long time, the difference between the two parks, Lafayette being a lot safer and a lot cleaner and less of a problem than MacArthur Park,” he said. 

The fence still needs final approval from the five-person commission that approved the project’s conceptual phase in October. The commission has not yet set a date to consider the final plans.

To incentivize voters to cast ballots for Republicans, President Donald Trump used his convention speech to promise a dividend of $5,000 to every adult citizen if the Republican Party maintains control of Congress in the midterm election.  

"If the Republicans win, you win with us and you get $5,000," he said. "It will be called the Trump dividend, congratulations."

The money would have to be spent in the U.S., the president said. 

Trump did not provide details about where the money would come from or the legality of his promise. According to the most recent Census data, it could cost $1 trillion or more to provide these payments. 

The event is designed to rally support for Republicans in the midterms where they face an uphill battle to maintaining control of Congress. 

He said the midterms will decide if the country stumbles or surges forward, adding that he will travel to "every race," to show his support to the Republican nominees, and to Texas even more than once. 

Trump's support and his ask of voters to "pretend" that he's on the ballot could backfire given his unpopularity amid the war in Iran and the nationwide focus on affordability.

"Vote Republican and we will leave the world in our dust for generations to come," said Trump.

Apart from the $5,000 promise, Trump's address was not very different from his typical rally speech, touching on issues he often speaks about, including tariffs, the importance of destroying Iran's nuclear program, passing a bill to limit voter identification and registration rules and claiming lower inflation than when he took office. 

It was a night where Trump was the star of the show. The event, billed as a "Trumpapalooza," put the president center stage as Republican candidates, lawmakers and everyday Americans shared appreciation for Trump and his policies.

President Trump greets attendees as he walks on stage to speak on the first day of the 2026 Republican National Convention Sept. 9, 2026 in Dallas, Texas.

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Justin Sullivan

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Getty Images

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"Let's hear it for the man who had the vision to hold this convention," Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., said to widespread applause.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the Republican Senate nominee in Texas, also opened by praising President Trump for standing up for Texas.

Paxton addressed the economy, promising tax relief policies to help American families. He also made an appeal for more support, acknowledging that his opponent, state Rep. James Talarico has the money advantage.

"I need your prayers, your vote and your support," Paxton said. "If we lose Texas, we lose the common sense revolution. If we lose the common sense revolution, we lose America."

Texas Republican Senate candidate, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton walks on stage on the first day of the 2026 Republican National Convention on Sept. 9, 2026 in Dallas, Texas.

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Justin Sullivan

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Getty Images

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Rep. Brandon Gill, who represents a district north of Dallas, said this election is about "the mainstream versus the extreme."

Gill, one of the speakers with the longest address Wednesday, returned several times to transgender issues, a culture-war theme that has been especially prominent in Texas politics.

"I think we can all remember the good old days when political debates were about marginal tax rates and government spending," Gill quipped. "Now we are debating whether toddlers can become transgender, whether men can become pregnant and whether your daughter should have to share a locker room with a man."

Attorney General Todd Blanche spoke about the Trump administration's law enforcement agenda.

"President Trump will hold you accountable," he said. "If you choose violence, you will be held accountable. Now that is making America safe again."

Before Blanche, no sitting Attorney General had spoken at a political party convention, the House Judiciary Dems said on X Tuesday.

They called Blanche's participation in the convention "dumbfounding and unprecedented. Amazing how far the DOJ has fallen," said the post. 

Political parties typically hold big, televised presidential nominating conventions every four years, but this isn't a presidential election year. And midterm conventions just aren't a thing (at least not since Democrats scrapped them after a short run in 1982).

It would be reasonable to ask why Republicans, trying to hang onto their narrow majorities in the House and the Senate, would want to train so much attention on a president whose approval rating is underwater.

People hold signs on the first day of the 2026 Republican National Convention Sept. 9 in Dallas, Texas. President Donald Trump will headline the Republican National Committee's first-ever midterm convention Wednesday night.

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Tasos Katopodis

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Getty Images

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At a recent campaign rally, Trump laid out the theory of the case.

"The problem that we have is they say that Trump does great when he's on the ballot," said Trump, speaking in the third person. "But when he's not on the ballot, his people don't come and they don't vote.

"So, what I really want you to do is pretend please, that I am on the ballot," Trump said at the rally for South Carolina Republican Sen. Darline Graham, who is running for her seat this fall. "Just come and vote. It's so important."

But this isn't just a plea for Republican primary voters in a runoff election in a deep red state. In swing states and toss up districts, Trump and his advisors are trying to rebuild the coalition of voters who propelled him back into office in 2024, voters who don't always show up if there isn't a presidential race at the top of the ticket.

This is a different approach than that taken by most presidents whose parties are facing political headwinds in a midterm year. But President Trump has never been one to go along with the normal rules of politics.

Convention organizers say the gathering in Dallas will focus on the issues shaping the midterms, including lowering the cost of living and raising incomes, securing the border and protecting American values.

Based on an NPR analysis, using race ratings from the Cook Political Report, fewer than half of the Republican candidates in competitive House and Senate races are listed as convention speakers.

"We're going to be back in our district, working hard," said Republican Rep. Zach Nunn of Iowa, when quizzed on his convention plans by reporters on Capitol Hill.

He's in a toss-up race for reelection.

But if the White House is concerned about attendance, Vance isn't letting on.

"The president and I can go and make [the] argument on national TV," Vance said at a White House press briefing last week. "We don't need a congressman in a tight race to be there in all cases."

There's also a question of who will be watching. The convention is up against the NFL season opener on Wednesday night, a rematch of this year's Super Bowl between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots. There's a primetime football game on Thursday night as well.

Democrats aren't planning their own convention and the counterprogramming will be fairly limited.

"Most elected officials don't even want to go to [presidential nominating conventions]," said John Anzalone, a Democratic pollster and consultant. "I mean, the expiration date on conventions has passed a long, long time ago."

And, he argues, the war in Iran, unpopular tariffs, high gas prices and broader affordability concerns, mean the political environment "is disastrous for Republicans running for office and this Republican convention is not going to change that narrative one iota for the midterm elections."

Ohio Republican Party chairman Alex Triantafilou said he had no trouble finding people interested in attending. But the state party was also allotted far fewer tickets than it would get for a traditional presidential convention.

"From the very beginning we were told that we could use this as an opportunity to rally the troops and to raise some money for the party and those two things have certainly happened," said Triantafilou.

He said the state party is using the convention to excite grassroots Republicans and he hopes the president will visit Ohio again sometime before the November election.

"He is very popular here," said Triantafilou. "We do talk a lot about low propensity voters and turning them out. Nobody turns out low propensity voters in Ohio like the president. So, we welcome this."

Whether this novel midterms approach will pay off is yet to be seen, but some Republicans say it may be the best shot the party has to limit its losses in what is widely expected to be a tough year for Republicans.

"Running to President Trump and defending his record, I think, is an interesting strategy and I think it is so interesting that it might just work," said Terry Schilling, president of the American Principles Project, a Republican group. "We've tried running away from the president in previous midterms and we almost always lose."

Schilling will be at the convention and says he expects many of his friends involved in Republican politics to be there as well. He hopes they emerge energized and ready to drive a focused message heading into the midterms.

NPR's Eric McDaniel contributed reporting for this story.
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The longest road trip in NFL history has brought the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams to Australia’s sports capital for a season opener in front of more than 100,000 football-hungry fans packed into the Southern Hemisphere’s largest stadium.

The NFC West rivals are playing Australia’s first NFL game, and the starkly differing ways in which they made this epic journey have attracted almost as much attention as the two star-studded rosters preparing to put on a show.

The 49ers have been Down Under for more than a week, adjusting their body clocks in the traditional manner and winning over thousands of Aussie fans who appreciate their commitment to the historic moment.

The Rams were only scheduled to arrive in Melbourne around dawn Thursday, roughly 28 hours before the Friday morning kickoff that’s necessary to play the game Thursday night in prime time in the U.S. That’s because head coach Sean McVay is convinced they can thwart jet lag and optimize their game readiness by staying home on California time.

Both teams agree this contrast in preparation is not a referendum on the best way to handle a pair of 16-hour flights with a football game in between — even if the rest of the world might see it that way after the final whistle.

Instead, this game is primarily a difficult early test for both the Super Bowl favorite Rams and the talent-laden 49ers, who also intend to be a title challenger. The coaching staffs and veteran players all know each other thoroughly after a decade of competition between Shanahan and McVay, who are both constantly looking for an edge.

“I don’t think there’s any right way to do it,” said defensive end Myles Garrett, who will make his Rams debut in Australia. “They have a plan, and I’m sure they consulted different teams and people to find out a way to combat jet lag and such long travel. We’ve done the same thing. I think we’re both riding our methodologies.”

Garrett will be joined by star cornerback Trent McDuffie and cornerback Jaylen Watson in their debuts with Los Angeles’ revamped defense.

But Garrett will not be joined at the MCG by Aaron Donald, who ended his 2 1/2-year retirement late last month. The Rams decided the 35-year-old Donald will stay home as he ramps up deliberately for his return — and that’s a beacon of hope for Shanahan, who was sure his old friend McVay would bring Donald to Australia.

“I’ve never been more excited to be wrong about something,” Shanahan said.