Vice President Kamala Harris focused on reproductive freedom during a campaign stop in Houston on Friday that included appearances by Beyoncé, Willie Nelson, Kelly Rowland and Jessica Alba. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
The campaign stop in Houston electrified a crowd of thousands, calling attention to the fight over women and reproductive rights.
Vice President Kamala Harris touched down in Houston on Friday, putting the blame for Texas’ harsh abortion ban squarely on former President Donald Trump — and warning that the worst is yet to come if he returns to the White House.
It didn’t hurt that her message was reinforced by Houston native Beyoncé, who delighted the crowd of nearly 30,000 people at Shell Energy Stadium as she waded into the presidential race just days before Election Day on Nov. 5.
The rally — along with Trump’s speech at an airport hanger in Austin earlier in the day — was an unexpected twist for both campaigns. Harris has trailed in Texas throughout the race.
But after an introduction by Beyoncé and fellow Destiny’s Child star Kelly Rowland, Harris made it clear why she came to Texas.
“We understand the stakes and moving forward we understand that what we must do, Texas, is right here,” Harris said. “You are ground zero in the fight for reproductive freedom. We must be loud. We must organize. We must mobilize. We must energize the people.”
After the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, ending a women’s right to abortion, Texas was left with a near-total abortion ban. The measure doesn’t include exceptions for rape or incest, and medical providers are hesitant to perform the procedure even if the life of the woman is threatened by her pregnancy.
“We know what’s at stake and we will not be silenced. We know what’s happening here in Texas. Doctors and nurses can go to prison for life simply for providing reproductive care,” Harris said.
She blamed Trump for the Texas ban, saying that the state is among 20 others with bans put in place since Roe was struck down.
“Over these past two years, the impact of Trump abortion bans has been devastating. We see the horrific realities that women and families face every single day. The stories are vivid, they are difficult to hear, they are difficult to tell,” Harris said.
The Harris rally included the stories of several Texas women — including Kate Cox, Ondrea Cummings and Amanda Zurawski — who have been impacted by the state’s abortion ban.
“To those women, I say, and I think I speak on behalf of all of us: We see you and we are here with you,” Harris said. “Texas, what is happening across this state and our country is a healthcare crisis. And Donald Trump is the architect of it.”
@couriertexas Beyoncé, who was born in Houston’s Third Ward, called out neighborhoods across the city in urging people to vote. “We all have a role to play to make this a reality,” the singer told an electrified crowd at Shell Energy Stadium during the Kamala Harris rally on Oct. 25. #beyonce #houstontx #htown #kamalahq #kamalaharris2024🇺🇸💙
Beyoncé urges H-Town to vote for Harris
The rally was a star-studded affair, opening with actress Jessica Alba and including Texas legend Willie Nelson. Tina Knowles introduced her daughter and Rowland. But it was Beyoncé who captivated the crowd. Her 2016 track “Freedom” is the Harris campaign’s anthem.
“I’m not here as a celebrity,” Beyoncé said. “I’m not here as a politician. I’m here as a mother, a mother who cares deeply about the world my children and all of our children live in, a world where we have the freedom to control our bodies.”
Beyoncé, who was born in Houston’s Third Ward, electrified the crowd with a roll call of area neighborhoods and cities, from the Fifth Ward and Alief to “all the way down to Mo City.”
“We are all part of something much bigger. We must vote. We need you. It’s time to sing a new song — a song that began 248 years ago,” she said.
During her nearly 30-minute speech, Harris also pointed to US Rep. Colin Allred, the Dallas Democrat locked in a tight race against Sen. Ted Cruz. Allred, who appeared on stage before Harris, applauded her for “shining a light on what’s happening to Texas women.”
“We believe in freedom in Texas, and this is not it,” he said. “In 10 days, we are going to beat Ted Cruz, and make Roe v. Wade the law of the land again.”
