Vice President Kamala Harris is heading to Houston, Texas, for a campaign rally on Friday, coinciding with the first week of in-person early voting. This visit aims to boost Democratic support as Election Day approaches. The specific location in Houston has not been announced, but the rally is scheduled between 3 and 8 p.m. The event focuses on increasing voter turnout, particularly in Harris County, which has leaned more Democratic in recent years.
Texas is not typically viewed as a battleground state, but Harris' campaign aims to narrow the gap. Her return to the state is notable, as it hasn't been common for presidential candidates to visit Texas so close to an election in the last 30 years. The last Democrat to win Texas was Jimmy Carter in 1976. According to The Texas Tribune, Harris is trailing Republican nominee Donald Trump by several points in local polls.
This visit has two main purposes: to appeal to Texas voters and to support Democratic U.S. Rep. Colin Allred. Allred is running for the Senate seat against incumbent Republican Ted Cruz and is viewed as important for Harris' efforts to secure a Democratic majority in the Senate. As The Houston Chronicle reports, early voting will continue through Nov. 1.
This is not Harris' first visit to Texas; in August, she spoke at the funeral for the late Houston congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, demonstrating her continued engagement with the state's political landscape. She also attended the Alpha Kappa Alpha convention in Dallas in July and addressed Hurricane Beryl recovery efforts in Houston. On the other side of the political divide, Donald Trump has maintained a presence in Texas, staging fundraising events earlier in the month and joining U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz in a bid to rally support, proclaiming, "You love Texas and so do I," during a joint phone call, as the former president expressed his fondness for the Lone Star State, according to The Houston Chronicle.
Those interested in attending the upcoming Harris rally must register on the campaign's website.
