Vice President Harris warned voters in swing states and blue states Friday that they could see abortion bans like those in red states if former President Trump is elected in November.

Harris traveled to ruby-red Texas for a rally focused on reproductive rights, during which she was introduced by mega superstar Beyoncé Knowles-Carter. The crowd size at the rally in Houston was 30,000 people, constituting Harris’ largest rally to date.

“For anyone watching in another state, if you think you are protected from a nationwide Trump abortion ban because you live in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Nevada, New York or California, please know that no one is protected if there is a national ban on abortion by Trump and he will ban abortion in every other state,” Harris said. “Understand this. And he can do it without an act of Congress. All this to say that elections matter.

Trump said he would veto a national ban on abortion earlier this month. He later said a national ban on abortion was “irrelevant”, but he left the door open on the conversation by saying “we’ll see what happens.”

“Texas is home to one of the most restrictive abortion bans in our country. In Texas, abortion is prohibited at conception,” Harris said Friday.

Texas passed a bill in September 2021 banning abortions approximately six weeks into a pregnancy.

“Those are the issues and we know how we got here,” Harris said, placing the blame squarely on Trump for his hand at the Supreme Court in overturning Roe v. Wade.

“Countless numbers of women and the people who love them are suffering in silence, women feeling like they are doing something wrong like they are criminals…we see you and we are here with you,” she said. Harris said.

She also appealed to American men, calling on them to vote as a way to support the women in their lives.

“Men across America do not want to see their daughters, wives, sisters and mothers put in danger because their rights have been violated. I see the men here and I thank you,” she said. “The men of America don’t want this.”

Harris, at the rally, played clips of women speaking about how they struggled to receive care related to their reproductive rights in the state of Texas and quoted Trump saying he did a great thing in helping overturn Roe.

“Donald Trump doesn’t trust women, but I do, we trust women,” she said.

Harris praised Gen Z voters, who are a critical voting bloc, as Democrats hope new voters will turn to Harris and give her an edge over Trump, even as polls have started to show a shift in her favor . these last few days.

“Can we applaud our leaders who are voting for the first time,” Harris said, echoing the praise » she told young voters at a rally Thursday in Georgia.

Harris was interrupted several times throughout her speech by protesters. To one she shouted, “See you later” and to another she said, “Just send them to the little gathering down the street…some people don’t have a great sense of direction but it doesn’t matter, we will show them the way. path.”

The vice president was introduced by Beyoncé, whose song “Freedom” is played at Harris rallies.

“I’m not here as a celebrity, I’m not here as a politician, I’m here as a mother,” Beyoncé said. “A mother who cares deeply about the world my children and all our children live in. A world where we have the freedom to control our bodies. A world where we are not divided.

“Our moment right now, it’s time for America to sing a new song,” the singer added. “Are you all ready to add your voice to the new American song. Because I am, so let’s do it.

Singer Kelly Rowland and Tina Knowles, Beyoncé’s mother, also spoke and Willie Nelson performed at the rally.

representative Colin Allred (D-Texas), who is running to replace Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), spoke out, declaring, “With your help and the grace of God, we will beat Ted Cruz. »

Cook’s Nonpartisan Political Report classifies Texas Senate race as “lean Republican.”

“The crowd chanted Beat Ted Cruz,” and Allred responded, “You hear that Ted?”

The Texas trip was a break from Harris’ travel, mostly to swing states, in the weeks leading up to Election Day. While Democrats view Cruz’s seat as a potential pickup opportunity in the Senate, Trump leads Harris by 6.6 percentage points in Texas, according to Decision Desk HQ/The Hill’s vote AGGREGATE.

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