Taylor Swift has expressed her support for Kamala Harris as the next president of the United States. In an Instagram post published shortly after the presidential debate, Swift praised Harris as a strong advocate who will fight for the rights and causes she holds dear.
Swift shared on Instagram to her massive following of 283 million that she diligently stays informed by consuming a wide range of news sources. She also expressed her intention to support Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the upcoming 2024 presidential election.
I believe she possesses strong leadership qualities and has the ability to guide us towards progress and stability in our country.
Swift urged her fans to register to vote in her statement.
Swift also commented on the AI-generated images shared by Donald Trump in late August, which inaccurately portrayed Swift and her fans as endorsing his campaign for president.
She expressed her concerns about AI and the potential risks of spreading misinformation. It made me realise the importance of being completely open about my true intentions for this election as a voter.
Swift mentioned that she had observed the US presidential debate between Harris and Trump and encouraged her fans to thoroughly investigate the positions these candidates hold on the issues that are most important to them.
She ended her message with the signature “Childless cat lady,” alluding to remarks made by Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance. The post featured a picture of Swift with her cat Benjamin Button, one of three feline companions she possesses.
During a conversation with Tucker Carlson on Fox News in 2021, Vance made derogatory remarks about certain senior Democrats in Congress and the Biden administration, suggesting that they are unhappy with their own lives and want to spread that unhappiness to the rest of the country.
The Trump campaign shrugged off Swift’s endorsement, with spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stating: “This is another example of how the Democrat party has regrettably transformed into a party that caters to the wealthy elites.
Leavitt mentioned that there are numerous Swifties who support Trump in America.
Swift has previously shown support for Democratic candidates, including endorsing Joe Biden in 2020. However, she had not publicly endorsed any candidate for the 2024 election until Tuesday.
When questioned about Swift’s support for Harris, Republican congressman Matt Gaetz expressed his appreciation for her music but emphasised his preference for a world where liberals focus on creating art and conservatives focus on shaping laws and policies.
A portion of Swift’s fanbase had already begun rallying behind Harris. The Swifties for Kamala Coalition kicked off in late August, generating over $138,000 for the Democratic candidate through a virtual rally that included Carole King as well as senators Elizabeth Warren and Kirsten Gillibrand.
Tim Walz, Harris’ running mate, expressed his deep gratitude to Swift during an interview on MSNBC. “I say that as someone who owns a cat, just like you,” he said, emphasising the bravery of her endorsement. “That’s the kind of bravery we need in America.”
In 2012, researchers at Northwestern University and the University of Maryland conducted a study to examine the potential relationship between celebrity endorsements and votes. They analysed Oprah Winfrey’s endorsement of Barack Obama before the 2008 Democratic primary to determine its impact on the polls.
According to the researchers, Oprah Winfrey’s support was estimated to have contributed approximately one million votes to Obama’s victory over Hillary Clinton in the primary elections. This margin of victory was around 270,000 votes in the states included in the study.
Swift is widely recognised and admired across the country, particularly within the Democratic Party. In an October 2023 poll conducted by Fox News, it was revealed that a majority of voters, particularly Democrats, expressed a positive opinion of Swift. Republicans were split, with 43% expressing a positive view and 45% holding a negative one.
Cayce Myers, a professor of public relations at Virginia Tech, believes that Swift’s endorsement could potentially influence the election by motivating younger Gen Z fans to participate in voting.
PartyMyers noted that although celebrity endorsements may not always result in significant voter turnout, Swift’s endorsement reached a substantial fanbase and emphasised women’s rights, a topic that aligns with the Democratic Party’s values.