US: Speaking at Friday’s rally, Beyoncé said: “I didn’t come here as a celebrity
US: During a rally in Houston on Friday, Beyoncé joined Vice President Kamala Harris and encouraged Americans to support the Democratic presidential candidate in order to preserve “the freedom to control our bodies.”
According to the Harris campaign, the gathering at Shell Energy Stadium drew over 30,000 supporters, making it the largest rally Harris has organized thus far in the election season.
Since Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court in June 2022, Democrats have made abortion access a major electoral issue. When a much-anticipated “red wave” failed to materialize in that year’s midterm elections, the problem was a key factor.
Beyoncé said during her speech at the event on Friday: “I’m not here as a celebrity. I’m not a politician here. As a mother, I am here because I really care about the society my children and all of our children live in—a world without division and where we are free to manage our bodies. Here, our history, present, and future come together.
.@Beyonce’s full remarks in support of Vice President Harris pic.twitter.com/CPCaFKkO9o
— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) October 26, 2024
Beyoncé continued by saying that women and girls across will benefit from a Harris presidency, the first held by a woman in American history.
Imagine our girls growing up and realizing that there are no boundaries or limits to what may be achieved. Consider our grandparents. The celebrity said, “Just think of how they feel now—those who have survived to witness this momentous day.” “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.”
In her speech, Harris also addressed reproductive rights: “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 abortion would be illegal in every state if Donald Trump were to impose a nationwide ban.
Donald Trump, the previous president, said earlier early month that he would veto a nationwide abortion ban 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.”
Access to abortion was the top concern for 11% of Texas voters, according to a study conducted by Emerson College among 815 potential voters in the state between October 18 and October 21. This ranked the problem below immigration and the economy, which 32 percent and 26 percent of voters ranked as their top concerns, respectively. Access to abortion, however, ranked higher than “threats to democracy” and health care, which were the top concerns for 8% and 5% of respondents, respectively.
According to a survey of 1,091 potential voters conducted by the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin between October 2 and October 10, 7% of Texans said that “abortion or women’s rights” was the most significant topic in the run-up to the 2024 presidential election. Additionally, 7% of voters ranked democracy as their top problem, compared to 18% who cited the economy and 16% who cited immigration or border security.
According to the study, Harris led Texas voters by a significant margin on the abortion question, with 54% of respondents believing she would do better than Trump on access to abortion. Seven percent indicated they were unsure or had no view, while another eleven percent believed neither candidate would do well on abortion.
