While interacting with the crowd at a recent concert stop in Austin, Texas pop star Harry Styles gave a ringing endorsement to Democratic candidate for Texas governor Beto O'Rourke. The man himself was actually in the crowd that night enjoying the show.
And reportedly so was the daughter of O'Rourke's opponent, incumbent Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott.
Styles' endorsement was met with enthusiastic cheers as he pointed to a sticker on his guitar reading "Beto for Texas" and pumped his arm in support.
\u201cHARRY SAID BETO FOR TEXAS\u201d— chana \ud83c\udf83 (@chana \ud83c\udf83) 1664763586
The reception to Styles' endorsement can only be described as jubilant.
But it reached a true fever pitch when people realized O'Rourke was also in attendance.
\u201cThe cross over we needed. .@BetoORourke x @Harry_Styles \n\nBeto getting a warm reception at Harry\u2019s concert in Austin tonight.\u201d— Wesley Powers-Sabugo \ud83d\udef9 (@Wesley Powers-Sabugo \ud83d\udef9) 1664771450
O'Rourke was seen interacting with fans in Styles' audience—taking selfies, trading handshakes and high fives with the crowd.
But for many, the moment of synergy between Styles and O'Rourke became even more delightful for fans once word began to spread Abbott's daughter was in the crowd as well.
Concertgoers reported seeing videos from the concert posted to her Instagram Story.
\u201cIcing on the cake: Greg Abbott\u2019s daughter was at Harry Styles tonight when he endorsed Beto. #BetoForTexas #hslotaustin\u201d— Jennifer Sinski (@Jennifer Sinski) 1664774471
Awkward.
Given O'Rourke's many takedowns of Abbott in recent months...
\u201cI\u2019m sorry but if I was Greg Abbott and I found out that my daughter was at a concert where the singer endorsed my opponent who was IN THE CROWD, I would be throwing up and crying \ud83d\udc80\ud83d\udc80\ud83d\udc80\u201d— Olivia Julianna \ud83d\uddf3 (@Olivia Julianna \ud83d\uddf3) 1664815152
Texas activist Olivia Juliana of Gen Z for Change—who famously raised millions for reproductive freedom off an insult from Florida Republican Representative Matt Gaetz—wrote on Twitter:
"I’m sorry but if I was Greg Abbott and I found out that my daughter was at a concert where the singer endorsed my opponent who was IN THE CROWD, I would be throwing up and crying 💀💀💀"
O'Rourke has been pointed in his criticisms of Abbott, targeting everything from Abbott's handling of Texas' growing energy crisis to his handling of gun violence including a White nationalist mass shooting in El Paso and a school shooting in Uvalde.
O'Rourke even dressed him down face-to-face in front of a town hall meeting after the Uvalde shooting in May. Abbott's supporters have not been spared O'Rourke's no-nonsense approach to the Governor either.
Given Styles' fluid gender/sexual identity and Abbott's virulently anti-LGBTQ+ stances, it seemed likely his daughter is more politically aligned with O'Rourke than her father—much like how Republican Texas Senator Ted Cruz's daughter publicly reviles his politics.
People couldn't help but find the awkwardness of this whole thing hilarious.
\u201cWait, so Harry styles had a concert in Austin, Texas where he openly endorsed @BetoORourke, while Greg Abbott\u2019s daughter was there cheering him on. Lol\u201d— MartyAtLarge\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@MartyAtLarge\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1664815790
\u201cHarry Styles performs in Austin, with a sticker on his guitar for Beto, the democratic nominee for governor challenging current governor and bigot Abbott. The crowd starts chanting "Beto! Beto! Beto!". and it gets better, he was there! but so was ABBOTT'S DAUGHTER. I love this\u201d— Travis \ud83e\ude90 worm food \ud83e\udd2f\ud83d\ude31\ud83d\ude33\ud83d\ude32 (@Travis \ud83e\ude90 worm food \ud83e\udd2f\ud83d\ude31\ud83d\ude33\ud83d\ude32) 1664838932
\u201cOkay I forgive Harry Styles for everything and I apologize for roasting him so much. The story about Greg Abbott's daughter being in the crowd while he stumped for Beto \ud83d\udc80\ud83d\udc4d\ud83d\udc99\u201d— Faye loves Baragon (@Faye loves Baragon) 1664817325
\u201cfinding out greg abbott\u2019s daughter was at Harry Styles\u2019 concert while he endorsed Beto>>>>>>>\u201d— the situation (@the situation) 1664908098
\u201cSo Greg Abbott's daughter was at the Harry Styles concert. And as it turns out, so was Beto.\n\nHarry endorsed Beto at that concert. And had a Beto sticker on his guitar.\n\nBet dinner in the Abbott house was interesting..\u201d— TriTexan (@TriTexan) 1664850403
And people loved Styles' Beto endorsement just as much.
\u201cLol not Abbott campaign trying to convince us Beto is culturally irrelevant and unpopular, when Beto literally had Willie Nelson throw a massively successful event for him, and Harry Styles had 50K women screaming in excitement at the mere sight of him, all in one day. Lol\u201d— Mimi AT (@Mimi AT) 1664815593
\u201cWhen you got Harry Styles rocking the Beto For Governor Decal on his Guitar\u2026 it\u2019s over Abbott!! \u2066@BetoORourke\u2069 Harry Styles in Austin Texas!\u201d— Stylin Jess \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Stylin Jess \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1664822868
\u201c@AbbottCampaign Umm, did you miss all the people cheering for Beto at the Harry Styles concert last night? Abbott failed the ppl of Texas over and over again while trying to cover it up with smoke screens and lies. Beto is the future of Texas. #BetoforGovernor2022\u201d— Texans for Abbott (@Texans for Abbott) 1664815214
Styles isn't the only musician to endorse O'Rourke.
Country legend and lifelong Texan Willie Nelson also gave O'Rourke a thumbs up.
Polling still shows Abbott enjoying a lead over O'Rourke of a bit more than seven points in deep red Texas, however.