Country singer Willie Nelson will headline a rally for Democratic Rep. Beto O'Rourke Beto O'RourkeJimmy Carter says his son smoked pot with Willie Nelson on White House roof O'Rourke endorses Kennedy for Senate: 'A champion for the values we're most proud of' 2020 Democrats do convention Zoom call MORE later this month as O’Rourke campaigns to unseat Sen. Ted Cruz Rafael (Ted) Edward CruzCruz blocks amended resolution honoring Ginsburg over language about her dying wish Trump argues full Supreme Court needed to settle potential election disputes Press: Notorious RBG vs Notorious GOP MORE (R) in Texas in the midterm elections this November. 

“If we're going to win and elect Beto to the Senate, we need Texans to vote for him!  And what’s more Texan than Willie Nelson? ( Nothing!),”  O’Rourke’s campaign wrote on an event page for the rally. 

The rally is scheduled for Sept. 29 in Austin, Texas. 

ADVERTISEMENT

Nelson’s appearance at the rally will mark his first-ever public performance on behalf of a political candidate, Rolling Stone reported.  The magazine noted that Nelson pulled O'Rourke onstage at a concert near Austin this summer for renditions of “Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die” and “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.” 

Nelson is originally from Abbott, Texas, a town in the central part of the state. 

The rally will come as O’Rourke faces a close race against Cruz.  Cruz currently has about a 3 point lead over O’Rourke, according to the RealClearPolitics average of polling in the race. 

Nelson has been an outspoken critic of President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?'  Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE.  Last year, he released a song, “Delete and Fast-Forward,” that he said was inspired by Trump. 

In June, Nelson said Christians “should be up in arms” over the Trump administration’s "zero tolerance" immigration policy that resulted in families being separated at the U.S.-Mexico border.