October 24, 2024, presidential campaign news | CNN Politics

Beyoncé will appear alongside Vice President Kamala Harris for the first time on the campaign trail in Houston on Friday, a person familiar with the planning tells CNN.

Since the moment Harris ascended to the top of the Democratic ticket and received Beyonce’s permission to use “Freedom” as the campaign’s official anthem, the vice president’s team has been working behind the scenes to negotiate a joint appearance before Election Day.

Rumors of a Beyoncé appearance at the Democratic convention threatened to overtake Harris’ acceptance speech. Campaign officials insist it was never the plan to have Beyoncé join Harris in Chicago, even as they sent conflicting signals in the moment.

The Friday appearance in Houston, where Beyoncé will appear with Willie Nelson, is designed to be one of the biggest closing acts of the campaign. It remains an open question whether Taylor Swift will join Harris, given she is back in the United States for the final swing of her Eras Tour.

Though this is Beyoncé’s first time officially rallying with Harris, the superstar has a history of endorsing Democratic candidates.

In 2013, she sang the National Anthem at the inauguration of President Barack Obama. In 2016, Beyoncé and her husband Jay-Z headlined a pre-election concert for Clinton in Cleveland, Ohio, with her backup dancers dressed in blue pantsuits to honor the woman who could have been the first female president. In 2020, Beyoncé endorsed the Biden-Harris ticket, posting on her Instagram to encourage her followers to vote.

More about Harris’ Texas visit: CNN reported earlier that Harris is expected to address abortion rights as she seeks to draw a contrast with former President Donald Trump over the controversial issue ahead of Election Day, according to a senior campaign official.

During her remarks, the vice president is expected to warn of the threat a second Trump term poses to women’s reproductive freedom. Harris will also place blame on the former president for extreme abortion bans, including in Texas, following the overturning of Roe v. Wade. She will be joined by women who have been impacted by the restrictive laws.

Democratic Senate nominee Rep. Colin Allred will join Harris in Houston as part of a get out the vote effort as he seeks to replace incumbent Republican Sen. Ted Cruz. While in Texas, Harris will also sit down for an interview with popular podcaster Brené Brown as she continues to participate in media engagements in an effort to reach voters where they are.

The campaign is hoping the political saliency of reproductive rights can help mobilize voters to head to the polls. This November, voters in at least 10 states will take to the polls to determine the future of abortion access in their state.

This post has been updated with more details on Beyoncé’s appearance and Harris’ trip to Texas.