Beyoncé took the stage to rally support for Kamala Harris Friday night at a massive rally in Texas as the race for the White House is tied.
“We are so happy to be here on this stage as proud women of Texas country supporting and celebrating the one and only Vice President Kamala Harris,” she said.
He said they are on the brink of incredible change and on the brink of history.
Beyoncé said she was not there as a celebrity but as a mother who cares deeply about the world her children and all children live in.
“Imagine our daughters growing up, seeing what is possible without ceilings or limitations,” she said.
He said they are part of something bigger and should vote.
“It’s time to sing a new song,” he said.
Beyoncé waves to the crowd as she takes the stage at Kamala Harris rally in Houston
Beyoncé wasn’t the only celebrity to take the stage in Texas. Actress and businesswoman Jessica Alba also spoke and music legend Willie Nelson performed.
Also joining her on stage was her former Destiny’s Child member Kelly Rowland, who spoke first.
“We’re getting the pen back,” Rowland said. She revealed that she voted for Harris and her running mate Tim Walz this week.
“Houston, you already participated in the creation of the destination,” Rowland said.
Beyoncé was joined on stage at Kamala Harris’ rally by her former Destiny’s Child member Kelly Rowland.
Beyoncé’s much-coveted endorsement comes months after Democrats were devastated by her absence from the Democratic National Convention over the summer.
Harris uses Beyoncé’s ‘Freedom’ as her walk-in song at campaign rallies.
In August, rumors surfaced that Queen B herself would appear at the Chicago convention before Harris accepted the nomination.
His team and the campaign did not rule out the rumors that caused widespread enthusiasm.
But this did not happen, leaving thousands of party members and millions of viewers who watched on television disappointed.
Jessica Alba came out to speak at Kamala Harris’ rally in Houston, where she said that “freedoms and democracy are at stake” and urged people to vote.
Music legend Willie Nelson, 91, performing at Kamala Harris’ rally in Houston. Before beginning, Nelson asked, “Are we ready to say Madam President?”
Harris supporters holding fans and umbrellas as they wait in the sun to attend the vice president’s rally in Houston on October 25.
On Friday, thousands of people lined up for hours to participate in Harris’ rally with Beyoncé and fellow icon Nelson at Shell Energy Stadium.
Nelson performed “On the Road Again” and “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys.”
A campaign official said about 30,000 people attended, making it the largest Harris campaign event to date.
Attendees brought their own chairs to rest on while they waited and carried umbrellas to protect themselves from the Texas sun.
Inside the stadium a dance party was taking place which thousands of people joined while a DJ played loud music and people made moves while they waited.
The rally with Beyoncé and Nelson comes as Friday’s final NYTimes/Siena poll showed the race with Trump tied at 48 percent each. A CNN poll also showed the race was tied with Harris and Trump at 47 percent.
Lines for Kamala Harris’ rally in Houston stretched through the parking lot as people dressed in Harris-Walz gear waited for hours to get inside.
Supporters wait inside Shell Energy Stadium in Houston under signs that
A Harris supporter holds a fan while waiting for the vice president’s rally in Houston.
A supporter holding a sign reading “This is Harris Country” outside the vice president’s rally in Houston.
While Texas is not considered a battleground state in the presidential race, Harris headed there to hold a rally about reproductive rights.
Abortion rights remain a major issue in the 2024 election and have been a rallying point for Democrats since Roe v Wade was overturned.
Texas has a complete ban on abortion with limited exceptions. It has no exceptions for rape or incest.
Harris has blamed Trump, who nominated three of the Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe, for the abortion bans enacted across the country since Roe’s downfall.
At his rally, he criticized Trump for the Texas ban, calling the situation there and in states across the country a health care crisis and calling the former president the “architect of it.”
Vice President Harris speaking at her rally in Texas on Friday night
Harris sharply criticized Texas for suing the U.S. government to obtain the medical records of women who leave the state to receive medical care.
“Now I would ask everyone here to understand the irony, okay, listen to this: On the one hand, Donald Trump is not going to let anyone see his medical records,” he said.
And, on the other hand, they want to get hold of your medical history. Bottom line: They’re crazy,” Harris said.
He criticized Trump, saying that in four years “it was capable of erasing half a century of hard-fought progress for women, and now wants to go even further.’
“Let’s be clear: If Donald Trump wins again, he will ban abortion nationwide,” he said.
‘In the United States you cannot give freedom. It should not be granted. It’s ours. By right, and that includes a woman’s fundamental freedom to make decisions about her own body and not have the government tell her what to do,” Harris said.
He said that “reproductive freedom is on the ballot in this presidential election.”
The vice president argued with his work, he will win freedom.
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks to reporters at a Houston hotel before her Friday rally.
Trump has argued on the campaign trail that he will leave the issue up to the states, but previously signaled he was open to a federal ban and has touted his role in overturning Roe.
At the rally, Harris is joined by people who have dealt firsthand with state abortion bans.
They include the Texas couple who sued against the Texas ban, a Texas woman who had an abortion but was unable to obtain medical care in the state and suffered a life-threatening septic infection, and doctors who have had Hands tied with the treatment of women.
There were signs all over the place urging people to vote, but also others saying “trust women” and “fight for reproductive freedom.”
Texas also has a tight Senate race, with Democratic Congressman Colin Allred challenging Republican Senator Ted Cruz.
Allred also delivered remarks at the event such as the thunderous crowd chanted “beat Ted Cruz.”
“Ted Cruz is too small for Texas,” Allred said.
He also criticized Trump for introducing nationwide abortion bans and promised to help restore Roe in the Senate.
Democratic Texas Senate candidate Collin Allred waves to crowd at Harris rally in Houston
A giant sign at Kamala Harris’ rally read “vote for reproductive freedom”
This is Beyoncé’s first political event in 2024, but her music is a regular fixture at Harris rallies with ‘Freedom’ as the opening song and appeared in the vice president’s first campaign video over the summer with the singer’s permission.
It’s also not the first time the ‘Texas Hold Em’ singer has gotten into politics.
The global sensation has previously endorsed Democrats in the presidential race.
In 2016, she and her husband Jay-Z rally support for Hillary Clinton in Cleveland, Ohio, just days before the election.
In 2020, Beyoncé posted on social media wearing a Biden-Harris mask while encouraging her followers to vote.
Harris has been trotting out some of the biggest entertainers and politicians as the race is tight down the stretch.
Former President Obama made his first joint appearance with Harris in Georgia on Thursday, where Bruce Springsteen also performed. Tyler Perry, Samuel L Jackson and Spike Lee attended.
Last week he had a rally with superstar Usher. On Saturday, former first lady Michelle Obama will join the vice president. It will be their first joint appearance and Obama’s first 2024 campaign rally.