The Gladiators are reuniting in the name of democracy once again.
The cast of Shonda Rhimes’ hit show “Scandal” will be coming back together to join Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Tim Walz in Michigan for their Reproductive Freedom Bus Tour. Actors Kerry Washington, Tony Goldwyn, Guillermo Díaz, Bellamy Young, Katie Lowes, Dan Bucatinsky, Scott Foley, Portia de Rossi, George Newbern, Jeff Perry and Cornelius Smith Jr. will join the Harris-Walz campaign’s canvass launch in Madison Heights.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the cast’s appearance on the political tour is part of the Democratic presidential candidate’s strategy to win the 2024 elections. According to the Harris-Walz campaign, the tour’s mission is to “emphasize the stark contrast between Vice President Harris and Governor Walz, who will restore the protections of Roe v. Wade when Congress passes a bill to do so, and Donald Trump and JD Vance, who will enact their dangerous Project 2025 agenda to ban abortion nationwide, restrict access to birth control, force states to report on women’s miscarriages and abortions, and jeopardize access to IVF.”
Having started on Sept. 3 in Florida, the Reproductive Freedom Bus Tour plans to travel to key states across the country to discuss the stakes of reproductive rights with both Democratic and Republican communities. During the latest presidential debate, the focus turned to abortion rights and in vitro fertilization (IVF), when Harris pledged to reinstate nationwide reproductive rights, while Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for president, declined to commit to vetoing a nationwide abortion ban if he wins reelection.
In August, “Scandal” stars Washington and Goldwyn, known for their iconic roles as Olivia Pope and fictional President Fitzgerald Grant, thrilled fans by reuniting to co-host the 2024 Democratic National Convention. Through the years, Washington has become known for her political advocacy. A vocal Democratic supporter, the actress has not only partnered with non-profits to discuss abortion rights but also launched her own non-profit, Influence Change, which “recruits fellow artists to promote civic engagement.”
“Democracies work best when everyone votes. As someone in the public eye, it’s important to me to remind people of their political power and to share whatever information I have that helps them to step into their power,” she said, as previously reported by theGrio. “Artists, musicians, athletes, actors, and creators have a unique opportunity to encourage voters. The combined reach of our networks can be leveraged to inspire participation and ensure that more people take their rightful place as active participants in our democracy. I don’t speak out because I am an artist, I speak out because I am an American.”