Harris zeroes in on abortion; Trump floats idea of zero taxes

Election rivals take detour from campaigning in battleground states with stops in Texas

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Ms Kamala Harris and Donald Trump took a detour from barnstorming the battleground states that will decide November's election with Oct 25 stops in Texas, a conservative state that was the first to implement a near-total abortion ban.

Texas has not backed a Democratic president since 1976, and Republican Trump is almost certain to win the state's 40 electoral college votes.

But Democrats are betting it will provide a powerful backdrop for Vice-President Harris to talk about abortion rights in the final days before the Nov 5 election.

Superstar singer Beyonce, who was born in Houston, fired up the crowd by introducing Ms Harris, who came on stage to a recording of Beyonce's song Freedom, which was made her campaign anthem. She did not sing, however.

Ms Harris spoke about the danger former president Trump and Republicans could present to abortion rights across the country if he were elected, a campaign source said, joined by women who have suffered after Texas' anti-abortion regulations were passed and their family members.

"Texas, what is happening across this state and our country is a healthcare crisis, and Donald Trump is the architect of it," Ms Harris said.

Texas implemented a first-of-its-kind law in September 2021 that banned abortion after six weeks and allowed anyone to sue abortion patients in violation and those who assisted them.