DALLAS — President Trump headlined the Republican Party’s first-ever midterm convention Wednesday night, boasting about his record and pleading with listeners to “pretend that I’m on the ballot” so he can “finish the job.”

“Your vote will decide whether our country stumbles at the starting gate of the next 250 years or surges forward and never ever looks back,” Trump told thousands of attendees inside the American Airlines Center, home to the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks.

Trump is pushing to end cash bail, seal the border for good and pass a healthcare plan if Republicans are given two more years of control.

Trump vowed to campaign at least once in all states with competitive House and Senate races to continue his agenda on tax cuts, energy and border enforcement — and dispel the “sick cloud” of “communism,” especially in the 35 most hotly contested races.

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

“We hand America’s future to the radical left Democrats, and our nation will spend the next decade just getting back on its feet,” he warned.

“I’m asking you to pretend that I’m on the ballot — just one more time, because if we lose, you’re going to lose your border, you’re going to lose your tax cuts, you’re going to lose your safety and security, you’re going to lose your wealth.”

Trump spoke after Republicans cheered on five hours of warm-up acts, including up-and-coming congressional candidates and cabinet secretaries — competing with the opening night of the NFL season as the New England Patriots faced the Seattle Seahawks in a Super Bowl rematch.

“There is a crazy little sick cloud over our country,” Trump said, leaning into the event’s effort to link Democrats writ large with self-declared socialists who won a number of upsets in primary races this year.

“I really believe it’s not going anywhere, but we have to make sure because we will defeat communism in America and vote for American freedom.”

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