Beyoncé Targets One of Texas’ Most Important Issues at Kamala Harris Rally

Vice President Kamala Harris was joined by Beyoncé at a rally in Houston on Friday, where the megastar urged Americans to back the Democratic presidential candidate to protect “the freedom to control our bodies.”

The event at Shell Energy Stadium attracted about 30,000 supporters, according to the Harris campaign, making it the biggest rally Harris has hosted in the election cycle thus far.

Democrats have campaigned heavily on the issue of abortion access since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022. The issue played a major role in that year’s midterm elections, when a widely anticipated “red wave” largely failed to materialize.

Speaking at Friday’s rally, Beyoncé said: “I’m not here as a celebrity. 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, a world where we’re not divided. Our past, our present, our future merge to meet us here.”

Beyoncé went on to argue that a Harris presidency, which would be the first by a woman in U.S. history, would give a boost to women and girls across the country.

“Imagine our daughters growing up seeing what’s possible with no ceilings, no limitations. Imagine our grandmothers. Imagine what they feel right now—those who have lived to see this historic day,” the superstar said. “Even those who are no longer physically with us, imagine all of their sacrifice—the sacrifices made so we can witness the strength of a woman standing in her power.”

Harris likewise focused on reproductive rights in her speech: “For anyone watching from another state, if you think you are protected from Trump abortion bans because you live in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Nevada, New York, California or any state where voters or legislators have protected reproductive freedom, please know: No one is protected.

“Because a Donald Trump national ban will outlaw abortion in every single state.”

Earlier this month, former President Donald Trump said he would veto a federal abortion ban, writing on Truth Social: “EVERYONE KNOWS I WOULD NOT SUPPORT A FEDERAL ABORTION BAN, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, AND WOULD, IN FACT, VETO IT, BECAUSE IT IS UP TO THE STATES TO DECIDE BASED ON THE WILL OF THEIR VOTERS.”

Newsweek contacted representatives of the Harris and Trump campaigns for comment on Saturday via email outside regular office hours.

Emerson College, which surveyed 815 likely voters in Texas between October 18 and 21, found that abortion access was the top issue for 11 percent of voters in the state. This put the issue behind immigration and the economy, which were the top issues, respectively, for 32 percent and 26 percent of voters. However, abortion access came in above “threats to democracy” and health care, top issues for 8 percent and 5 percent of voters, respectively.

A poll of 1,091 likely voters, conducted between October 2 and 10 by the University of Texas at Austin’s Texas Politics Project, found that “abortion or women’s rights” was the most important issue for 7 percent of Texan voters ahead of the 2024 presidential election. Democracy was also the top issue for 7 percent of voters, while 18 percent of voters said it was the economy and 16 percent said it was immigration or border security.

The survey also found that Harris had a big lead in Texas on the issue of abortion, with 54 percent of voters thinking she would do a better job on abortion access versus 28 percent for Trump. Another 11 percent said neither candidate would do a good job on abortion, while 7 percent said they didn’t know or had no opinion.