Thousands attend rally with Beyoncé demanding abortion rights – Houston Public Media

As the poll clock reached its final hour, Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris held a campaign rally at Houston's Shell Energy Stadium with Houston native Beyoncé.

Lines were already forming in front of the stadium on Friday morning before sunrise.

One attendee, April Busby, told Houston Public Media's Lucio Vasquez that she arrived at 4 a.m. to be among the first in line to see Harris.

“I really believe it will put us above the rest and we need that. We need them to unite us all,” Busby said. “I see all these people and the things we talk about and it’s amazing.”

RELATED: According to multiple reports, Beyoncé is set to perform with Kamala Harris at the Houston rally

U.S. Army veteran Steven Jackson was also early in line and said he was glad Harris decided to make a stop in Texas, even though it is a solidly red state. Jackson said he hopes undecided candidates can take advantage of the opportunity to really listen to what the candidates have to say.

“Use your ears, but more importantly, use your eyes,” he said. “I know a lot of Republican candidates say, ‘Don’t believe what you see on TV; Don't believe what you hear on the radio or in the newspapers, but what else are you supposed to believe if you don't believe these things?

Gwendolyn McAfee said this was her first presidential rally and she woke up early to catch the morning train so she could secure her place in line.

“I couldn't sleep last night; I’m so excited,” she said. “I can almost cry just being here, meeting these people, talking to them and knowing that we are all going to experience something so great together. This powerful, powerful woman, our vice president, is coming into our city.”

During his four years in office, Trump reversed half a century of hard-fought progress when he appointed the Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade, Harris Will said.

“And now he wants to go even further. “Let’s be clear: If Donald Trump wins again, he will ban abortion nationwide,” Harris said, according to excerpts released before the rally that highlight the medical consequences of abortion restrictions.

The message was delivered to a packed stadium full of fans wearing flashing LED wristbands while big screens flashed “Trust Women” and “Freedom” between performances. But it was intended to register in the political battlegrounds outside Texas, where the Democratic nominee hopes the aftermath of the overturning of Roe v. Wade will encourage voters to support her quest for the presidency.

“If you're watching from another state and think you're protected from Trump's abortion bans because you live in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Nevada, New York, California or another state where voters or lawmakers have protected reproductive freedom, then “Please know: No one is protected,” she said. “Because a nationwide ban by Donald Trump will ban abortion in every single state.”

Since abortion was restricted in Texas, the state's infant mortality rate has increased, more babies have died from birth defects and maternal mortality has increased.

With the presidential election dead, Harris is betting that abortion rights are a key voter factor — including for Republican women, especially since Trump appointed three of the Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn the constitutional right.

Harris' campaign has adopted Beyoncé's 2016 track “Freedom” as its anthem, and the message fits with the vice president's emphasis on reproductive freedom. The singer's planned appearance on Friday adds a lot of star power to Harris' state visit. Harris was joined on Friday by actress Jessica Alba and Willie Nelson sang some of his biggest hits, including “On the Road Again.”

“Hey, how are you all doing?” Nelson, 91, asked the crowd. “Are we ready to say Madam President?”

They are the latest stars to impress Harris, including Lizzo, James Taylor, Spike Lee, Tyler Perry, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Springsteen and Eminem. While in Texas, Harris also recorded a podcast with host Brené Brown.

Shell Energy Stadium has a maximum capacitor of 22,039. Harris' recent rally in Georgia reportedly set a record with over 20,000 people in attendance.

Before Harris' rally, Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale held a pro-Trump rally at his North Freeway Gallery Furniture location. Former President Trump will also be in Texas today to record a podcast episode with Joe Rogan and hold a press conference on the border, both of which will take place in Austin.

Traffic, road closures, subway lines:

The city has closed streets between the 600 and 700 blocks of St Emanuel Street from Rusk to Texas Street in preparation for the Harris rally. Additional sections of Caroline Street, Ballas Street, Austin Street and Lamar Street will be closed around Shell Energy Stadium. The roads will remain closed until at least midnight.

List of road closures:

• St. Emanuel Street (from Rusk to Texas)
• Caroline Street (from Lamar to Polk)
• Dallas Street (from San Jacinto to La Branch)
• Austin Street (from Polk to Lamar)
• Lamar Street (from Branch to San Jacinto)

Lucio Vasquez and the Associated Press contributed to this story.