Get out the Vote
Willie Nelson joins Beto O'Rourke for voting rally in Austin
Willie Nelson joins Beto O'Rourke at a Vote 'Em Out Rally on Sunday, October 2.
Willie Nelson is no (red-headed) stranger to politics, and while his heroes have always been cowboys, his support for gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke is no less genial. The duo will take the stage together this weekend at a Vote 'Em Out Rally in Austin on Sunday, October 2.
The rally's title no doubt comes from Nelson's 2018 song, "Vote 'Em Out," where Nelson writes:
"If you don't like who's in there, vote 'em out
That's what Election Day is all about
The biggest gun we've got
is called the ballot box
So if you don't like who's in there, vote 'em out."
The country music legend debuted the song at a previous rally in support of O'Rourk'e 2018 run for governor, but Nelson's support of the El Paso candidate goes back even further, when he invited O'Rourke on stage during his 2018 Fourth of July Picnic. Nelson drew criticism for the endorsement from more conservative fans, but that doesn't seem to have riled the octogenarian musician, who has never shied from sharing his personal beliefs.
In the midst of his second gubernatorial campaign, O'Rourke joined Nelson again for the 2022 Fourth of July Picnic at Austin's new Q2 Stadium — this time with guitar in hand and his son by his side.
This Sunday's rally will take place at 2 pm at Moontower Saloon in South Austin, and the event is free and open to the public. Nelson will both perform and share a few words in support of the campaign. According to a release, O'Rourke will in turn lay out his vision for "bringing Texans together to deliver great jobs, world class public schools, reproductive freedom, and the ability to see a doctor."
A photo from early in the setup shows how much room there is to fill at the event center.Photo courtesy of Nature's Treasures