Kamala Harris rallies with Beyoncé and Willie Nelson in Texas

HOUSTON — In a star-studded night earlier than an electrified crowd of tens of 1000’s of supporters, Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday implored men and women to forged their ballots on Nov. 5 in protection of their freedoms and as a rejection to former President Donald Trump’s insurance policies.  

“Texas, what we’re experiencing here’s a well being care disaster, and Donald Trump is the architect of it,” Harris mentioned. 

“We all know freedom is to not be given. It’s not to be bestowed. It’s ours by proper, and we’re ready to combat for it,” she added. “We have to be loud. We should manage. We should mobilize. We should energize.”

The biggest occasion that Harris has held throughout her abbreviated run for president featured cameos from Houston native Beyoncè Knowles-Carter and Texas legend Willie Nelson.  

Beyoncé despatched the stadium right into a frenzy when she took the stage with Kelly Rowland, who was within the group Future’s Baby together with her. The celebrity, whose music “Freedom” has served as an anthem to Harris’ marketing campaign, didn’t carry out. She mentioned she there not as an entertainer or a politician however as a mom. 

“Think about our daughters rising up, seeing what’s potential, with no ceilings, no limitations,” she mentioned, including that she wished a world the place “my youngsters and all of our kids, we now have the liberty to manage our our bodies, a world the place we’re not divided.”

“It’s time for America to sing a brand new music. Our voices sing a refrain of unity. They sing a music of dignity and alternative. Are y’all prepared so as to add your voice to the brand new American music?” she mentioned to cheers earlier than introducing Harris to the stage. 

With simply 11 days left within the race and Democrats and Republicans competing to interrupt by means of to voters, Harris’ group noticed the Friday rally as a option to seize the eye of voters throughout the nation. 

On the identical time, the vice chairman used the occasion to underscore what she mentioned is the intense alternative for Individuals on the poll field, and that included sending former President Donald Trump a message for pushing by means of Supreme Court docket justices who overturned Roe v. Wade. Selecting the crimson state of Texas because the stage for the occasion was meant to focus on that it has among the most stringent legal guidelines limiting abortion within the nation. 

The night was partly somber, focusing closely with reference to reproductive rights and first-person tales about how restrictive legal guidelines practically brought on ladies’s deaths — or had brought on them. At one level taking the stage was a big group of medical doctors sporting white medical coats who mentioned they have been on the entrance traces of reproductive care.

They mentioned ladies’s well being was at stake and urged the gang to vote. In between audio system, clips have been performed of Trump taking credit score for the autumn of Roe, which elicited boos. 

Harris’ group believes that the deal with reproductive rights additionally speaks to males, citing a marketing campaign advert that examined effectively with males.

On Friday, Harris particularly known as out males, saying they didn’t need to see their daughters or wives’ lives put in danger due to restricted well being care selections. 

“I see the boys right here and I thanks!” Harris mentioned. “The boys of America don’t need this.” 

Harris at one level famous that Trump has refused to reveal his medical data however some locations like Texas, after Roe was overturned, wished to enact necessities that girls should report if they’ve an abortion or miscarriage. 

“Merely put, they’re out of their minds!” Harris mentioned. 

A part of the evening was meant to shine a lightweight on Democratic Rep. Colin Allred, who’s in a decent race in opposition to Republican Sen. Ted Cruz. 

Chants of “Beat Ted Cruz! Beat Ted Cruz!” erupted after the congressman requested the gang for his or her vote. 

“All the things is huge in Texas, however Ted Cruz is simply too small for Texas,” he mentioned to a different crowd eruption. 

The tens of 1000’s streamed into the world for hours and reworked the venue into a large dance social gathering, transferring alongside to a DJ. The marketing campaign estimated that roughly 30,000 folks confirmed up. 

Within the crowd, Vicki Lewis was sporting a crimson, white and blue shirt that learn “Vote” in giant letters. Lewis mentioned her message to different voters was to vote early.

“You haven’t any proper to be on the fence. It’s best to already know. It’s best to vote for who represents you and your future,” mentioned Lewis, who already voted for Harris. She cited well being care, reproductive rights and concern about her retirement. “I want any individual who’s going to combat for me and symbolize me.”

She took challenge with Trump bashing Harris and calling her “dumb.” 

“She has a resume. He wants to take a look at her resume,” she mentioned. “He’s the one who’s unqualified. She serves the folks. She is a folks individual and he doesn’t. It’s all about him and his cronies.”

Austin Valdezstapp mentioned he turned out particularly to fortify ladies. 

“It’s a big cause I’m right here is to assist ladies, and ensure that the issues and the rights that they’re speculated to have proceed to be put in place, and I feel these are in risk right here in Texas proper now so it’s very important,” Valdezstapp mentioned.

One other attendee, Michael White,, mentioned he had grown bored with the outrageous issues Trump says and does.

“Among the stuff he will get away with — if I mentioned what he mentioned, if Obama mentioned what he mentioned, if Harris did — do you assume we’d get away with it?” White mentioned, saying it particularly bothered him that Trump was “disrespectful to ladies.” 

CORRECTION (Oct. 26, 2024, 11:13 a.m.): A earlier model of this text misstated who appeared onstage with Beyoncé. It was Kelly Rowland, whom Beyoncé known as her sister, not her precise sister.