VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Pharrell Williams will try to energize voters in Hampton Roads on Friday while campaigning for Virginia gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe.
Williams and Vice President Kamala Harris are expected to team up on Friday for an event in Norfolk, McAuliffe said Monday while receiving an endorsement from the Virginia Beach African American PAC.
The event is scheduled for 3-7 p.m. Friday at the Half Moon cruise center on Waterside Drive. You can RSVP here. The public can expect delays on the roads Friday in Norfolk due to the vice president’s visit.
Gov. Ralph Northam, lieutenant governor candidate and state delegate Hala Ayala, Attorney General Mark Herring and more are also expected to give remarks.
The Virginia Beach native is the latest big name to campaign for McAuliffe in the final stretch of the campaign, as McAuliffe and Republican challenger Glenn Youngkin are in a virtual tie in polling. Election Day is next Tuesday, Nov. 2. Former President Barack Obama campaigned for McAuliffe this weekend, as well as musician Dave Matthews.
Williams endorsed Hillary Clinton in 2016 and has criticized former President Donald Trump, even sending a cease-and-desist letter to Trump after Williams’ song “Happy” was played at a Trump event hours after a mass shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue.
He recently made headlines after his fallout with the City of Virginia Beach, saying the city is run by “toxic energy.” Williams’ Something in the Water festival will not return in 2022, and could never come back to his hometown. He says the city hasn’t valued his proposals and he’s upset over their handling of the police shooting of his cousin, Donovon Lynch.
“I’ve spoken to Pharrell many times on this topic, he’s very upset. That’s one of the reasons why he’s supporting me for governor because as I did before bringing people in,” McAuliffe said.
Meanwhile, Republican Glenn Youngkin is on day three of his bus tour with 50 stops crisscrossing the state. This morning in Virginia Beach, community members were invited to have breakfast with him at Anchor Allie’s.
“I believe that we have a moment to define a new way where we lower taxes and we stand up for parents. They have a fundamental right in their kids’ education, and we allow workers to decide if they’re going to join the union or not. Oh, by the way, we trust people with the best information to make decisions about their lives,” Youngkin said.
Youngkin will be campaigning in the Charlottesville area on Friday.
“For the next eight days, we’re just making sure every Virginian gets to hear directly from me to hear from me that our platform will go to work from day one,” Youngkin said.