Beyoncé attends Harris rally on reproductive rights in Houston

Beyoncé showed her support for Vice President Kamala Harris at the campaign’s rally in Houston on Friday focused on abortion rights.

Destiny’s Child alum Kelly Rowland joined Harris on stage to introduce her to the crowd.

“I’m not here as a celebrity. I’m not here as a politician. I’m here as a mother,” Beyoncé said.

The popular “Texas Hold ‘Em” singer had yet to officially endorse Harris before the event, but the vice president is using Beyoncé’s “Freedom” as his lead song, which is often reflected in his messaging.

He introduced Harris on Friday: “Please welcome Kamala Harris, the next president of the United States.”

Also participating was another Texas native, famous folk singer Willie Nelson, performing two songs; Texas Rep. Collin Allred, who is facing Republican Sen. Ted Cruz in the Texas Senate race; and Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles, who has campaigned for Harris in the past.

Although Texas may seem like an odd choice in the final stretch of the pre-election period, with both candidates targeting key battleground states, the campaign argues that it was chosen because of the state’s restrictive abortion ban, which prohibits abortion in almost all circumstances. It also allows private citizens to sue abortion providers and those who assist patients seeking abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy.

Abortion remains a hot topic among Democrats, who managed to fend off a “red wave” in the 2022 midterm elections by centering their messaging around the issue. The campaign claims reproductive freedom is still one of the top issues among undecided voters, and they see Texas as “ground zero.”

The campaign included the stories of many women whose lives were put at risk due to abortion bans. This included Ondrea, a Texas woman who first shared her story in a newspaper. New Harris campaign ad released this week. Ondrea was pregnant in the fall of 2022, but when her water broke at 16 weeks, she was told her daughter would not survive. The advertisement states that she was not provided with the necessary medical care (abortion). The ad shows the wounds and scars that Ondrea suffered after a six-hour emergency surgery that doctors said cut open from his chest to his pelvis to save his life.

“I came forward so people could learn from my experiences,” he told the crowd during the rally. “Donald Trump’s abortion bans in Texas nearly cost me my life and left me with physical and emotional scars.”

Before the rally, Harris said Texas’ abortion ban would be at the center of the event.

“This is a very important state, and we’re here to highlight that unfortunately many of Texas’s elected leaders have made Texas ground zero in this fundamental fight for women’s freedom to make decisions about their own bodies. So tonight, this is just for women and their families.” “We will also discuss the impact Trump’s abortion bans have had on people across the country,” he said.

“And I believe it’s critically important to recognize that this is not just a political debate, this is not just a theoretical concept. There has been real harm in our country, there has been real suffering. People have died,” he added.

About two hours away, former President Trump was also in Austin, Texas, early Friday, where he spoke about immigration, then interviewed influential podcaster Joe Rogan, who has the most listened to podcast in the United States.

After holding her first joint rally with former President Barack Obama in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday, Harris will travel to Michigan on Saturday, where she will campaign with former First Lady Michelle Obama for the first time. .