'Be a man and vote for a woman': Sam Elliott voices new ad endorsing Kamala Harris
In a new video ad produced by a former Republican anti-Trump group, actor Sam Elliott — a part-time Linn County resident — encourages voters to "be a man and vote for a woman."
Elliott, known for looking like a stereotypical American cowboy and starring in "The Big Lebowski" and "A Star is Born," speaks over shots of American landscapes, including farms and someone on horseback.
Produced by "pro-democracy" group The Lincoln Project, the ad paints Vice President Kamala Harris as the candidate with "more courage, more honor and more guts" than former President Donald Trump.
"What the hell are you waiting for," Elliott says in the ad. "Because if it's the woman thing, it's time to get over that."
Actor Sam Elliott has deep roots in Oregon
The veteran Hollywood actor has deep Oregon roots.
Elliott was born in Sacramento and moved to Portland when he was 13.
He attended Madison High School as a freshman and David Douglas High School his final three years, graduating in 1962. A top prep hurdler in the state, Elliott enrolled at the University of Oregon.
Elliott and his longtime wife and actress, Katharine Ross, purchased their 200-acre Linn County property a few miles south of Brownsville in the mid-1990s.
He told The Register-Guard in 2017 he one day hoped to live in Oregon year-round.
“At some point, that’s the dream,” Elliott said. “I’ve always loved the Willamette Valley.”
He frequently visits Eugene for groceries and gardening supplies.
The bro vote: Trump and Harris duel over what it means to be a man in America
Sam Elliott ad endorsing Harris points to central campaign theme
Elliott's manly appeal to voters to support Harris points to an emerging theme across campaign issues: gender.
Even before President Joe Biden dropped out of the election, abortion access was a mobilizing issue among Democratic-leaning women. With Harris taking over as the nominee, America faces its second opportunity in a decade to elect the first female president in U.S. history.
Trump's campaign has leaned into courting young male voters with appearances with influencers like Adin Ross, Logan Paul and Theo Von. He has also touted his support for Bitcoin, which is popular among young white men.
Meanwhile, Republican running mate JD Vance has come under scrutiny for his comments about "childless cat ladies," Democratic running mate Tim Walz has played up the classic dad angle, and Harris' husband Doug Emhoff has put his career on hold to campaign for his wife.
Polling shows a gender gap in the candidate's supporters, with Harris leading among women and Trump leading among men, a phenomenon that is amplified among young voters. Usually, more women vote than men.
Contributing: Joey Garrison, Francesca Chambers
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sam Elliott in Kamala Harris ad tells men who to vote for in election