As Election Day 2024 nears, campaign observers are watching the major party presidential nominees, their running mates and their surrogates crisscross the nation, holding events in battleground states. The strategy is rooted in common sense: The race will likely be decided by voters in seven states, which is why the candidates and parties are so heavily focused on turning out their supporters in those states.
Texas, however, is not one of those states.
To be sure, recent polling suggests Donald Trump is leading Kamala Harris in the Lone Star State by roughly seven points, which is relatively competitive when compared to other reliably red states, but few sincerely believe that the Democratic ticket will win Texas’ 40 electoral votes.
So why is the Democratic vice president headed to the state with 11 days remaining before Election Day? Because of Texas’ significance in the larger national conversation about abortion rights and reproductive health care. NBC News reported:
Harris is scheduled to deliver a marquee address on reproductive freedom tonight in Houston, where she will be joined by women and men who have faced the consequences of state-level abortion bans since the fall of Roe v. Wade. ... Pop superstar Beyoncé is expected to perform at the event, too, according to a source familiar with the plans.
A Politico report added this week, “If you’re wondering why Harris would spend time in Texas — a state that hasn’t gone for a Democrat in a presidential election since 1976 — less than two weeks from Election Day, think less about the location and more about the national message.”
Quite right. This is about shining a light on one of the year’s most important issues, while reminding the nation about the consequences of Trump’s success in overturning Roe v. Wade and allowing Republican officials in multiple states to impose brutal restrictions. The New York Times added, “In short, the Harris team wants to put what happens deep in the heart of Texas on display for the whole country to see.”
Indeed, ahead of Harris’ event, the Democratic campaign unveiled a television ad focused on a Texas family that’s suffered as a direct result of a GOP-imposed abortion ban.
This will soon be followed by another new ad — titled “He Did It” — that will focus on Trump taking responsibility for the end of federal abortion protections.
What’s more, the vice president will be joined at the Houston rally by, among many others, Amanda and Josh Zurawski, whose tragic experiences have been an important part of the Democratic Party’s messaging for months.
Harris will also be joined by Democratic Rep. Colin Allred, a former NFL star running a competitive campaign against Republican Sen. Ted Cruz. Watch this space.