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A Midterm Convention Wake-Up Call - with Chad Connelly
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A midterm election can be won or lost long before Election Day, and we’re feeling that pressure from the floor of a first-ever midterm Republican convention in Dallas Fort Worth. We talk about why motivation can sag when a party gets complacent, why post-primary infighting lingers in key states, and why national polls can scare you into either panic or passivity.
Chad Connelly joins us to share what he’s seeing on the ground through Faith Wins: pastors meeting with candidates, congregations waking up to the stakes, and real conversations about socialism, cultural issues, and the moral direction of the country. We also wrestle with the leadership gap many voters feel, including the sense that some elected officials used to get “wake up” texts from influential voices like Charlie Kirk and now the responsibility shifts to everyday citizens, churches, and grassroots organizations.
We dig into what a convention like this can actually produce when the mainstream media won’t carry it: tight policy one-liners, targeted “boutique” messages for specific districts, and shareable clips that regular people can spread faster than any campaign ad buy. The bottom line is simple: Christians are often the margin in close races, and turnout changes outcomes.
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Why This Convention Matters
SPEAKER_02Welcome to the intersection of Faith and Culture. Appreciate you joining us today on the Wall Builder Show. Rick Green here with David Barton and Tim Barton. Dallas Fort Worth. Republicans have descended upon DFW from all over the country for this first ever midterm Republican convention. And so, yeah, a lot of folks coming in, a lot of uh grassroots activists, a lot of speakers, a lot happening. Uh, David, you mentioned on yesterday's program you're going to be speaking tomorrow. And our good friend Chad Connolly's with us. And so, Chad, of course, you and David have been all over the country for Faith Wins. I'm hoping to get a good report from you by the end of the convention that you saw uh some sparks, at least, if not a fire in the belly of uh of Republicans to not sit out these midterms, but instead double down. What do you think, Chad?
SPEAKER_01Well, this is the crowd that won't be sitting out. These are the workers that come to this, right? This is my uh been in every one of these since 2004, I guess. And so this is the workers in every state who are here. They're all in, uh, and they're looking for President Trump to bring it. Uh, this is the guy that can set a different tone, right? I mean, this is pretty unprecedented, like you mentioned. Uh, it only happened a couple times, never on the Republican side. We've never pulled this out before, but if anybody can pull it off, get some media attention and talk about the positives, is uh President Trump. He's a he's a totally unorthodox, unconventional, won't happen again kind of leader. So he's the guy that can pull this off.
SPEAKER_02And this one's this one's shorter, right, guys. Like normally a national convention's uh four or five days of of a lot of speeches and televised stuff, and and then a week going into that that you guys are usually there serving on platform committee or some other committee. This was just a just a two-day uh, but you know, hopefully a uh a shot in the arm as we're going into November.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that's right. This is a short one. I've been at them, you know, I've I've had RNC meetings, and then of course, like you mentioned, there are committee meetings like platforming rules that usually take place. This is this is different in every aspect, that's for sure.
Infighting And Low Motivation Concerns
SPEAKER_03Well, Chad, one of the things that we have have talked about some on the program uh is and actually really this week, we've talked a lot about uh the divide inside of the Republican Party, especially in certain states, um, where there's a couple of reasons why it looks like polling is down. Um and and there's uh maybe a reason to be a little concerned and ultra motivated to encourage our friends to get out and vote. And in certain states, the party, there's a lot of infighting, it's divided. Uh, and then across the board, it does seem like that there there's not a really encouraged and incentivized Republican side. And honestly, even a concern that in Texas, there's a lot of people that are Christians that go to actual Christian churches, not like the rainbow flag flying churches. No, actual Christian churches that have come out said in Texas, for example, they're gonna vote for James Tallerico because, you know, he's this nice guy and it's like grandpa was a pastor or something and whatever else. And so it seems like there's there's a lot of confusion for Christians, there's a lot of infighting in in certain states in party politics, and then there's not a lot of encouragement and excitement to drive the motivation for people to get out. And so we talked about is is that part of the strategy for this midterm convention? And I say this knowing uh that that you and faith wins, if targeted, uh dozens and dozens and dozens of congressional races where y'all are working on the ground. I know I'm gonna be with you at a couple of those events, my dad's gonna be at like all of those events as you are doing this, trying to encourage pastors and Christians to get out the vote. So, so what is your big picture thought of of the convention? Maybe what would help stir or motivate people? What are gonna be the takeaways? And then what is a thought for encouraging Christians in general and some of these other states and locations uh with a lot of these congressional and senate races?
On The Ground Signs Of Hope
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and thanks for that, Tim. Look, there's a lot of layers, like always, right? Um, I think one thing that's um facing us is this historical uphill climb when the party in power in the White House has a little bit of a laissez faire. Hey, things are going good. We've won. We're in good shape. We don't have to work as hard. The other part is as we haven't begun defining the left yet. You're right. There's a lot of infighting. These states that have late primaries, I don't know how they overcome it and heal. I mean, our state, we had the special election because Senator Lindsey Graham passed away. So we're really just getting past some of our division from a very heated primary. So there's two things in our favor, though. Number one, the election's not today, and the national polls don't matter. Uh, number two, the left has lost their ever-loving, flipping minds. And so I think that's going to help us as we start defining them. The other thing I'd say, I've been in 19 states since July 15th. And if I were looking at the Carl Rove polls on Fox News only, I'd be pretty discouraged. I'd be like, oh my gosh, this is this is a nightmare scenario. But I've been with pastors in states meeting with candidates. We met with uh John Sununu. Of course, we invite Democrats and Republicans, but John Sununu's running for U.S. Senate in New Hampshire, and he came and sat down with, I don't know, 15 or 16 pastor buddies of mine in Concord, New Hampshire at a church. You you guys have been in that church at Grant State on Baptist with Pastor Peter Chamberlain. I've been in other states. I was in Michigan. I had a dinner with eight black pastors, three Hispanic pastors, two white pastors. And I'm telling you, when I meet those guys and I see that they're paying attention, they realize what the stakes are. I get encouraged. Now that's not reflected in national polls, but when I go in all these states and I meet with pastors who are talking to their people about the real issues, we're facing socialist communists, we're facing Islamists, for goodness sakes, we're facing people who look you straight in the eye and say, men can get pregnant and boys can be girls and nonsense like that. And you just want to encourage those people to keep talking because I'm telling you, Tim, the more I'm out with people in the states talking to them, they realize what's at stake, and I get encouraged from that more than anything. So elections not right now, and we have not started defining the left. So a lot of that division and infighting, that'll settle out when people start really seeing what's at stake.
SPEAKER_03Well, and Chad, I I am grateful for your analysis of this. I completely agree. Um, one of the things that you were talking though, uh, you know, about uh the party being laissez faire and overlooking
Charlie Kirk’s Absence And The Torch
SPEAKER_03this. Um I I remembered that uh tomorrow, Thursday, uh is the one-year anniversary of the murder of Charlie Kirk. Chad, one of the things I was thinking is, you know, if you look back to the the presidential election, um one of the things that made the biggest difference was Charlie Kirk leading the charge and actually lighting a fire under the seats of so many of these Republicans that might have continued to be this laissez-faire, you know, whatever perspective. And and and we've talked many times, right? It's one of the the there's a lot of realities where we realize how much we miss uh one of our friends and and the role that he played. Now, with that being said, what I think is also really encouraging is we are seeing God raise up and elevate other groups and organizations where not just because of the 250 this year, but like wall builders, Patriot Academy. I mean, we've we've never been busier. And now, even with what Faith Wins is doing, uh I think God is elevating a lot of these other groups and ministries, these other not-for-profits uh that are picking up the torch of what Charlie was doing. But again, big picture does make me think this is where the some of those people in the Republican Party or in the White House, they they are missing the text from Charlie Kirk going, hey, you guys better pay attention, hey, you guys better do this, because he did that consistently. And and now that he is gone, it really does fall so much more on people like us that get it to help rally and encourage those. And I'm saying this knowing that for everybody listening, you you cannot wait for somebody else to be the hero. No, like that that thought or adage that nobody's coming to save you, right? You you need to be the leader, you need to be the shepherd of your home, you need to be a leader in your community and rally this. Uh, because honestly, had it not been for the way God used Charlie Kirk, it's very arguable that President Trump doesn't win that last election. Yeah, well, at this point, it would take the hand of God and a miracle for President Trump to win. But God's been doing that all along when God turned President Trump's head in Butler, Pennsylvania. It's like this isn't a new thought for God to show up and do a miracle and save the day. But it again, as you were talking, it just made me think, man, we we miss the text of Charlie Kirk to those elected officials to give them perspective. So, Chad, let me now uh ask a kind of a follow-up question because you have known and worked inside of party politics for a long time. Do you see party people are there some that are getting it more? Because we see obviously you work with so many pastors, we come with you, we do so many pastors' events. We see pastors waking up, and I actually do see some political leaders waking up, right? When you have your uh your Brandon Halls, your your congressmen, some of these guys that are really waking up and getting it, there's some things that are very encouraging. Um, but what what do you see inside the party in politics? How many how much are you seeing that they're getting it, or is this still a challenge and a struggle?
What Parties Do And What They Don’t
SPEAKER_01You know, honestly, Tim, uh I think that when we have the White House, whoever has the White House faces a severe disadvantage because the White House kind of runs the party, and way too many state party operations get they get complacent and they get lazy. They're not used to raising money, they're not having to lead the way. You know, nobody gave me money when I was a chairman. That was a normal thing. And I think over the past few years, the state parties have gotten money because we had such a fundraising machine. So that creates a little bit of weakness. Having said that, though, I believe the reason wall builders and Patriot Academy and Faith Wins and so many other groups exist. And what Charlie did, ultimate Johnny Appleseed guy, there are so many 501c3s, 501c4s, super PACs dedicated to the things that let's face it, the party was really never good at, right? The party has two functions elect Republicans, number one, and number two, raise money to do number one. And if you think there's number three, you need to go back and read number one and two. They don't exist. And the people like the policy to the party to do other stuff like policy things. That's just not the role. That's the elected officials' roles. And so all this infighting, I think a lot of it is the tension where people want to see more done. My goodness, when I met with Susie Wiles in Marilago in 2024, and she said, You ought to come on the inside of the campaign. I'm like, no, I'm look, I think I'm doing more good on the outside of the campaign, getting people to vote biblically because our people want to hear a specific message. And the party, the administration, the campaigns, they aren't willing to give the message if we are, Tim. They're really not willing to articulate those messages because let's face it, a lot of the consultants don't believe in what Rick Green and David and Tim Barton and Chad Connolly believe in. We are cause people. They are going to be more party people. And so while I believe I'm a party die, I'm here as a delegate. I was a state party chairman. I've been delegate or alternate or state party chairman of senior staffer to six conventions. I believe the function of the party. But I also believe that groups like ours and what Charlie did to your point is above and beyond and far past what the party can do. So they got to do their part. They can coordinate with the campaign. That's super special. They can raise money, you and I can't. They can spend money, you and I can't. But from specific efforts of turnout, I also believe with all my heart that there are people sitting in churches and pastors leading congregations who don't care. They don't give a flip what the party says or does, but they'll listen to David Barton and Rick Green and Tim Barton and hopefully Chad Conley and go, I like that angle because party folks are going to be driven by party directives. You and I are going to be driven by a cause that's greater, and that's the kingdom of God on earth. And to me, Charlie was an ultimate Johnny Apple seed. I think God's in God's economy, he is has and is going to birth so many more multiples of himself. And I hate, I hate what happened. I hate he was murdered for the cause. But I also know God's word doesn't return void. I also know that when a seed falls to the ground and dies, it multiplies. And I believe that's what God has applied here, and we're watching it in front of our very eyes. So look, I'm God's not done with me and you and us, and he's not done with the work that Charlie did. Yes, we miss Charlie. I think we miss him being a Trump whisperer. I think we miss him talking to the young people, especially. But I also know that there's so many people who've gotten motivated because they heard Charlie's message. I think Rob McCoy told me the other day, for all the views that Charlie Kirk had, the millions and millions, hundreds of millions, maybe a billion, that he got, he's had tenfold views of his talks since his death in one year that he had during his life. That is only, as your mom says, but God.
SPEAKER_02Amen. Yeah, absolutely incredible. It's uh it's his voice was elevated and and amplified and uh and not um taken out. It was actually amplified, uh, absolutely incredible. Uh, Chad, you've been on the program too many times, man, because you it's almost like you predict my questions. You already answered all the questions I had lined up. You're like, hey, while you and David are out there talking to pastors, are they gonna uh you nailed it? Uh uh anyway, we do have to take a break
Quick Break And How To Share
SPEAKER_02then. We'll be right back. You're listening to the Wall Builder Show. Hey friends, Rick Green from the Wall Builder Show. Encouraging you to share the program with friends and family and listen to it on the podcasts that are out there. There's so many options out there for you to listen to in the car or from home or while you're working out. You've got Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Castbox. I mean, there's so many options, and we just want to make sure you know we've worked hard to get it out there and make it available for you on all those different apps. Everybody's got their favorite app, so choose your particular app. And if it's not on there yet, email us, radio at wallbuilders.com, and let us know about your favorite podcast app. And we'll make sure Wall Builders Radio is listed there. But you can listen and most importantly, share it with your friends and family. That's how the program grows. That's how we get more truth in the hands of as many people as possible. And then, of course, wallboulders.show, super easy place uh to find all of those podcast apps and to just download right there from that website as well as be able to share it with your friends and family. So check it out today, WallBulers.show, or just go directly to your favorite podcast app, listen to the WallBulder Show, and share it with as many people as you possibly can.
What Leaders Want From The Convention
SPEAKER_02Welcome back to the WallBuller Show. Chad Connolly's sitting in with us uh for the the national convention. Um, first time ever, Republicans have done a midterm national convention. Uh David, you've got groups you're gonna be talking to. I know you and Chad are gonna be uh working that crowd and uh firing people up. So what are you hoping comes out of this convention by the end of the week?
SPEAKER_00Well, I think what will come out of it is a lot of ammunition to use in the last two months. I think there will be a lot of policy statements, a lot of uh really good one-liners and other things that will be used to make a difference between candidates as we get closer toward election time. So I think one of the things that will come out of the the Wednesday night, Thursday night meetings that that are part of this is a lot of good policy sound bites that will really help some campaigns. So I think that's part of what will happen. Uh I I think that outside of that, it's gonna add some um impetus. We talked even yesterday about the fundraising aspect of this. This is going to be a fundraiser, no question about that. And as much as I hate how much money goes into it, that's what the Supreme Court has opened up with the way that they do finances now. And so it really does make a difference. You know, we were talking even yesterday that when you stop the the USAID money, suddenly we're having all these free elections in Germany and all these other places we had. Money makes a difference in politics, and I hate that, but it does. And so I think that's the other thing that will help in this as you get down to the stretch. It appears that Democrats never run short of money. Um big corporations, though those guys are behind them, they put the money in themselves, and it it's always the Republicans that are outspent. Well, I think this is going to help equalize some of that field, and I think all that's necessary in the overall scheme.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, same Chad. Anything you want to add to that that you're hoping comes out of it by the by the end of the week?
Boutique Messages And Media Strategy
SPEAKER_01You know, I'm I'm thinking that what comes out of this is Trump is is the best at breaking through the media, right? And he recognizes that his message does not get out. And let's face it, the major networks are not carrying this. But to David's point, I really like what he was saying. And he said it earlier today when I was with him, that they're gonna set up all these different topics and hit those from stage. I think it's 109 different speakers, 36 different topics. They're gonna be able to create boutique messages in those congressional districts. We're we're actually gonna be in 38 different congressional districts between now and November. And I think what you're seeing is them creating a message that's a boutique, specialized message by those candidates into those districts. That's what you're gonna see, the money being spent on. And I also believe that President Trump is he's a master at entertainment. He understands what it takes. And so doing this convention like this, they will have to give media attention. It'll be in snippets, but there'll be so much creative media out of this that it's gonna draw attention to the things that Trump has done, then the then the activities that are taking place, whether it's the southern border, the no-fentanyl, 15 straight months, no illegals crossing, the first president out of eight who actually pushed uh Iran back and made sure they don't have don't have a nuclear weapon, the deregulation. I think we're taking out 137 regulations for every new one that's implemented. That is going to open up a boom in the economy, making us energy independent, opening up oil wells and pipelines. There are so many good things going on, but it takes time to peel back what we were under, the 9.1% of inflation. My goodness, the media tears us up about having 3% inflation, and we were 9.1% under Biden. So all those messages in these next few days at the convention are going to be set up into bite-sized messages that can be applied in the congressional districts. I believe that's what President Trump and the team are after with
Using The Left’s Words Against Them
SPEAKER_01this.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, definitely something we want to encourage people to do is to help share those messages. There'll be a ton of those social media videos and different things coming out in the next few days. One of the best ways you can motivate your friends and family to make sure that they're voting and that they realize it does make a difference is to share those videos. And Chad, that takes me back to what you were saying earlier in the program. The left has told us what they are. They're not even hiding it anymore. It's crazy, crazy stuff. It seems like there's so much intellectual ammunition just laying on the table. Uh, you know, just show them, in their own words, how nuts they are. Um, is that working? Are we not are we doing that? Is that kind of up to us? Like you were saying, almost the non-uh party people now, these other individuals and organizations and grassroots are is it just up to us to get that message out?
SPEAKER_01I I think it's a little bit of both. I mean, I think it depends on the district what the party or the campaigns are going to spend on those messages. But everywhere I've been, people have talked about how crazy the left is. Uh, the pastor meetings that we've created have given candidates an opportunity to articulate their stand, whether it's boys and girls sports and the nonsense of that, uh, the sexualization of children, you know, um uh mute sexual mutilation of kids. Those kind of things are coming up in those conversations, but also the communism socialism aspect. It's in their faces. I was with um, I had uh eight black pastors, three Hispanic pastors, and two white pastors in a meeting in inner city Detroit a couple Monday nights ago. Uh, David will be up there with me really soon. And I told some of them, some of you guys may have voted Democrat in the past, but tell me what part of the platform and what you're seeing right now would reflect biblical values. And if you think those guys are gonna be okay with you when Hassan Piker, this wealthy influencer who loves socialism and communism, is out there campaigning in a Mao say tongue uniform, Rick. There, you're right. They're not holding back. They're brazen. They know that people aren't educated very well. So, yeah, I think a lot of it's gonna fall to us to educate people and to the raise the five alarm fire that's going on to make sure we maximize the vote in every district, everywhere in America.
SPEAKER_02Well, I'll just throw this to all three of you, whoever wants
Why Democrat Messaging Got So Extreme
SPEAKER_02to answer it. How is it possible that they've let their message get so crazy? Is there polling telling them that these young people want that? I mean, I've I've seen guys like Bill Maher and James Carville, and some of those say, you know, this is crazy, we can't do this, and you know, my vote's up for grabs now or whatever. So there's some of the old timers uh that are saying this is too nuts, but I mean they can't just be is it calculated, or do you think God's just a you know there's a deception that's fallen on them and they don't realize they're gonna push away all, you know, certainly anybody over fifty that ever cared about freedom, but it just seems Weird to me that they would allow their party to go this crazy.
SPEAKER_03Well, Rick, I think you're right on both fronts. I think there's no doubt it's a deception. And I'm I'm interjecting now, obviously, Chad, uh, Dad, you guys will have thoughts and comments on this as well. But I I think as you're asking this, and and obviously, Rick, you know a lot of this already. You're giving us some uh fodder to discuss, but I I think it's worth asking the question what Democrat leader or influencer that is 40 years and younger has spoken against this? Because you can point to a Bill Maher that has. Yeah, that dude is older than 60, right? Now, I'm not saying that's super old for the other gentleman on this phone call. However, as wonderful as people who are 50 and older are, and I'm quickly approaching all of that, uh, it's worth noting this is not the tone of the next generation of Americans or of Democrats. When you look at the next generation of Americans, the fact that it, I mean, it's like 60% or something of Gen Z that has a favorable view of socialism. I don't remember the exact number, but it's incredibly high. It's well over 50%. So this is I I think it is calculated, but I think it's that's it's people that have been very deceived. Um, and so I think you have some intentional people that are leading the movement that are being deceptive, but I think you have a lot of ignorant people below them that are in favor of an ideology that, you know, stage one thinking that it sounds good, it feels good, it might give me something right now, not knowing that there's a way that seems right to man, but in the end it leads to death.
SPEAKER_01You know, I I would I I I want to hear what David has to say, Rick, but I'd say they built this box, they're getting to live in it. They built this with identity politics and breaking up groups into so many different ideological divisions to try to make their tent. So I think we ought to enjoy watching them fall apart from it because it will.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and you know, it's it's an interesting thing too that that one of the things you see from the scriptures is self-deception is there when you have all the pride and arrogance that goes with with so much of their position. And so, in some ways, I think there's some self-deception going on. Um, they're in their own echo chambers. Now they do a lot of polling, but so far their polling this year has not been good. I mean, we we saw Al-Saeed ten points up win by one point. Uh we saw Wong 10 points up lose by one point. Their polling has not been good, and I've heard that from a number of Democrat um uh activists in the sense they're they're activists, but they're they're not philosophic activists, they're Democrats that read the numbers, and they're really concerned about how far off their numbers have been. Now, I don't I I don't like that because I don't want us to go to sleep on our side and say, hey, you know, it looks like the Democrats are gonna win, so that means we're gonna win. I don't I don't think that. But what I do think is that their message, it's hard for them to keep on track because they have such a wild worldview that it's hard for them to even get together on that. It's it's what we kind of always see historically, it's where communism eventually falls apart. You have to kill all the other leaders because they have a different view from you. And I just think they're in that stage of they really are not sure what they all believe, and their messages are different. And it is, as Tim said, this generational as well. I mean, you got a real difference between the older Democrats and the younger Democrats, and as Tim said, the 40 under group has a very different message and take on that message. So I think it's going to be hard for them to get a unified message. I think it'll be a little easier for as I like what Chad said about the boutique messaging. I think the the Republicans will do a better job being a boutique message. Now, do they have enough money to get that out there? We'll see. They won't need all that money if Christians will show up and vote. There's enough Christians in every state to change the trajectory of that state. No, no question about it. We just got to get them
Deputizing Christians To Turn Out
SPEAKER_00out.
SPEAKER_01You know, my my life's message to everybody has been I'm here to deputize you to do more than you ever done. Don't wait on anybody's permission. Realize there's a five alarm fire going off. It is up to you not to just raise a little I voter sticker. I want you to do that. I voted. Yes, I want you to do that. You need to talk to the five, the 25, the 255 people that you know in your orbit and tell them it is a must. Everybody in your church needs to be registered. Everybody needs to vote biblical values. Find the Christian voter guides. Go to faithwinds.org, but turn out because Christians make the difference. We are the margin and we're the difference makers.
SPEAKER_02So good, brother. Appreciate Chad Conley joining us today. FaithWinds.org is the website, faithwins.org. It's not too late to get in a request to get David and Chad or our Chad and Tim to come to your city. We need to do more and more of that. Of course, already making plans for next year as well. FaithWinds.org. Appreciate Chad being with us. Thank you for listening. You've been listening to the Waffle Burger Show.
