Will history repeat? Grindr watched closely during RNC midterm convention in Dallas

History appears to be repeating itself as digital traffic monitors and participants closely watch Grindr usage during the Republican National Committee's (RNC) inaugural midterm conference in Dallas, Texas.Grindr activity draws attention at the RNC midterm convention in Dallas as past RNC usage spikes resurface online. (Photographer: Emma Rose Milligan/Bloomberg)Interest in Grindr usage during Republican events follows reports of increased engagement with the gay dating app at prior GOP gatherings. In 2024, during the RNC convention in Milwaukee, Grindr saw a significant rise in activity in the city.The increase reportedly contributed to service disruptions. Users also reported problems accessing the platform at the time.The first-ever Republican National Committee (RNC) midterm convention is being held at the American Airlines Center. The convention is branded “Trump-a-Palooza” and will be a two-day event from September 9 to September 10.Also read: Why was emergency slide deployed on Trump’s Qatar-gifted Air Force One? What happened ahead of GOP convention trip?The pattern of Grindr RNC spikesThe focus on Grindr activity during the conservative conventions is not entirely new. Similar spikes in dating app activity had emerged during the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland.According to VICE, at the time, Grindr usage reportedly increased by around 120% when convention attendees arrived in Cleveland. The data showed a stark contrast between conservative political messaging and a very public anti-LGBTQ+ stance and private behaviour among some attendees.A spokesperson for the app told Broadly in 2016 that “more than a thousand guys have used the app near the Quicken Loans Arena,” which is where the RNC convention was being held in Cleveland.The 2024 Milwaukee convention created similar online speculation. Social media users shared screenshots and commentary about the increased local activity on Grindr.Data revealed that there was a 166% increase in Grindr activity during the 2024 conference. Fuse Magazine reported that a Grindr user from Milwaukee claimed that on a typical day, he'd come across maybe 10 users without a profile photo. However, during the convention, when he checked the App, he saw at least 50 blank profiles.Grindr's CEO, George Arison, had also acknowledged that the app had a “significant spike in usage” in Milwaukee.George Santos, a former US congressman, had also criticized “gay” republicans for using the app based on the reports. He said, “Just come out of the closet, boys. Come on, it's fun. You can be gay and conservative. But look, Grindr is already outing you anyway, based on the hits. Guess who is in town? It's all you conservatives.”Also read: RNC midterm convention schedule: Full 2-day lineup, speakers, singers, Trump and JD Vance speeches in DallasIs history repeating itself?According to social media reports, Grindr outage reports are surging in Dallas on only the first day of the Republican midterm convention. Downdetector also showed more than 100 reports of users facing problems with the app.A user on X wrote, “Drove into Dallas today and Grindr goes down. Didn't know Trumpapalooza was happening here.”Another user referenced a picture of Hasan Piker on a big screen in the convention and wrote, “the Crash Grindr convention showcases photo of live streamer in his underwear to its Grindr using audience.”Another user joked, “I hope the engineers at Grindr have prepared for traffic overload during the RNC this year.”