Harris and Beyoncé teamed up for a rally in Texas about abortion rights; hopes battleground states hear them

Some were already campaigning for Harris, and others told their harrowing stories in campaign ads that tried to show how the issue had morphed into something much bigger than the right to end an unwanted pregnancy.

As abortion has been restricted in Texas, the state’s infant mortality rate has increased, more babies have died from birth defects, and maternal deaths have increased.

As the presidential election heats up, the Democratic nominee is banking on abortion rights as a key driver for voters; This includes Republican women; especially since Trump appointed and was himself elected three of the Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn the constitutional right. He has been inconsistent about how he would approach the issue if voters send him back to the White House.

Harris’ campaign has taken Beyonce’s 2016 song “Freedom” as an anthem, and the message dovetails with the vice president’s push for reproductive freedom. The singer’s planned appearance on Friday adds a high level of star power to Harris’ visit to the state. While in Texas, Harris will record a podcast with popular host Brené Brown.

There is some evidence to suggest that abortion rights could drive women to the polls, as it did in the 2022 midterm elections. Voters in seven states, including some conservatives, have either protected abortion rights or defeated attempts to restrict those rights in statewide ballot measures in the past two years.

“Protecting the health and safety of women while living in Texas is incredibly important,” said Austin voter Colette Clark. He said voting for Harris is the best way to prevent increased abortion restrictions across the country.

Daniel Kardish, another Austin resident, didn’t know anyone personally affected by the restrictions, but still sees it as an important issue in this election.

“I feel strongly about women having bodily autonomy,” she said.

Harris said this week that she thought the issue was compelling enough to motivate even Republican women, adding: “For many of us, our daughters will have fewer rights than their grandmothers.”

“When the issue of a woman’s freedom to decide about her own body comes to a vote, the American people vote for freedom, regardless of the party with which they are registered to vote,” Harris said.

Harris is unlikely to win Texas, but that’s not the point of her presence on Friday.

“Of all the states in the country, Texas has been ground zero for the heartbreaking stories of women, including women in need of care, women forced to leave the state, and mothers forced to leave the state,” said Mayor Skye Perryman. He is a member of Democracy Forward, the legal group behind many lawsuits against abortion restrictions. “It’s one of the most important places where this reality is felt in such a devastating way.”

Democrats warn that the gains in rights and freedoms will only continue if Trump is elected. For example, Republican lawmakers in states across the U.S. are rejecting Democratic efforts to protect or expand access to birth control.

Democrats also hope Harris’ visit will provide support for Rep. Colin Allred, who is making a long-shot bid to unseat Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. Allred will attend the rally with Harris.

When Roe was first overturned, Democrats initially focused on new limits on access to abortion to end unwanted pregnancies. However, the same medical procedures used for abortion are also used to treat miscarriages.

And in the 14 states where abortion is strictly banned, women cannot receive medical care until their condition becomes life-threatening. In some states, doctors may face criminal charges if they provide medical care.

About 6 out of 10 Americans think their states should generally allow legal abortions for people who don’t want to get pregnant for any reason, according to a July poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Trump has been inconsistent in his message to voters on abortion and reproductive rights. He has repeatedly changed his stance and provided vague, contradictory and at times inane answers to questions on an issue that has become a major vulnerability for Republicans in this year’s election.

Texas epitomizes the post-Roe landscape. The strict abortion ban prohibits doctors from performing abortions after heart activity is detected, which can happen six weeks or earlier.

As a result, women, including those who do not want to terminate a pregnancy, are increasingly subjected to poor medical care. This is partly because doctors cannot intervene unless a woman is facing a life-threatening condition or is suffering from “significant impairment of essential body functions.”

The state has also become a battleground for lawsuits. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the state’s ban just two weeks ago.

Complaints of pregnant women in medical distress being turned away from emergency rooms in Texas and elsewhere have increased as hospitals grapple with whether the standard of care might violate strict state laws against abortion.

Many Texas women have filed complaints against hospitals for not terminating their failed and dangerous pregnancies due to the state’s ban. In some cases, women have lost their reproductive organs.

Recently, Republicans have tried to pin the blame on doctors, claiming they are deliberately denying services to circumvent bans and make a political point.

Perryman said it’s exciting.

“Doctors are being put in a position where they face criminal liability, personal liability, threats to their medical license and their ability to care for people; they face an untenable situation,” he said.

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Long reported from Washington and Lathan from Austin, Texas.