Willie Nelson is supporting Democratic candidate Beto O’Rourke in the Texas Senate race, and now some former fans are no longer singing his praises.
The music legend announced on Wednesday that he’d be headlining a Sept. 29 rally in Austin for O’Rourke, and Nelson made a point to mention that it will be the first public concert he has held for a political candidate, according to Austin360.com.
Nelson said the U.S. representative “embodies what is special about Texas, an energy and an integrity that is completely genuine,” in a press release announcing the rally.
But when Nelson linked to the Austin360 story on his own Facebook page, some fans were angry that the “Red Headed Stranger” was voting like a Blue Stater.
One fan griped on Nelson’s Facebook page, saying “If thats true [then] I’m done after 45 years with the Red Headed Stranger.”
“By Willie, that smoke has finally got you!” he added.
Another commenter said she thought Nelson “had more sense than this” and theorized the singer was supporting O’Rourke because the candidate supports marijuana legalization.
Then there was the guy who said the country fan version of “Bye Felicia!”:
“Goodbye Willie, I don’t support socialist commies! You’re not going to advertise on my FB page either. Like we say in Texas, Now Git!”
But for all the criticism Nelson received for daring to support ― shivers! ― a Democrat, there were supporters who pointed out that the singer has long held liberal viewpoints.
Such as the man who said, “Ah...I love the sound the internets make when right wing nut jobs finally realize that their heroes have liberal views.”
Nelson has supported O’Rourke in the past and even invited him onstage at his annual July 4 picnic to play guitar for set-closing renditions of “Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die” and “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.”
Tickets to the Sept. 29 show are available here.
On Nov. 6, O’Rourke is facing off with Republican incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz, who is backed by President Donald Trump. CBS News reported that O’Rourke is just 4 percentage points behind Cruz.
Before You Go
