Kacey Musgraves performs in Seattle after viral exchange with Kristi Noem

Country music star Kacey Musgraves returns to Climate Pledge Arena tonight for her second Seattle show, two weeks after a post directed at former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem earned 498,000 likes and more than 9 million views on X.

Musgraves also performed Monday night as part of her “Middle of Nowhere Tour.” Hundreds of tickets are still available for Tuesday night’s show for as low as $55, according to Ticketmaster.

Musgraves on the midterms

The social media controversy began when James Talarico, the Democrat running for U.S. Senate in Texas, went to a Musgraves concert. Talarico later posted a photo of the singer taking a selfie with him.

“Thank you for having me last night, Kacey Musgraves!” Talarico wrote.

Kristi Noem saw the photo and threw her support behind Talarico’s Republican opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, while comparing Musgraves to another country singer.

I’ll take @ellalangleymsic over Kacey Musgraves any day.

And if I’m choosin’ Texas, I’ll take Ken Paxton over James Talarico. https://t.co/sD9yzSF955

— Kristi Noem (@KristiNoem) October 12, 2026

“Choosin’ Texas” is the title of Ella Langley’s hit single. It has become the longest-running No. 1 song in Billboard Hot 100 history. Langley is from Alabama.

Hours later, Musgraves responded on X.

I don’t think you have a dog in this fight but if you did you would have shot it.

— K A C E Y (@KaceyMusgraves) October 12, 2026

The line refers to Noem’s 2024 memoir, “No Going Back.” In the book, Noem wrote that she shot her 14-month-old wirehaired pointer, Cricket, in a gravel pit after the dog showed behavior problems, according to Rolling Stone. The story drew widespread criticism when it came out.

Ella Langley untags herself

Langley didn’t seem to want any part of the fight. Shortly after Noem’s post, Langley or her team removed her tag from it, according to Variety. Langley hasn’t commented publicly.

Talarico, a state lawmaker, is running against Paxton for the U.S. Senate seat in Texas. Talarico has been leading in polls, Variety reported. Election Day is Nov. 3.

Kacey Musgraves is taking a break from touring after Tuesday’s show before visiting the United Kingdom for three shows in February 2027.

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