Taylor Swift endorses Kamala Harris following US presidential debate
One Australian researcher who did a PhD on the notorious 'Swifties' believes the massive endorsement could have a measurable impact on the US presidential race.
In the final moments of the US presidential debate, Taylor Swift quietly dropped a bombshell.
Arguably the biggest pop star the world has known since Michael Jackson, the 34-year-old took to Instagram to provide a rare political stance. While she has waded into certain political issues in the past, she has mostly been reticent to publicly make political endorsements.
But not any more.
Posting to Instagram, she gave her thoughts after watching the televised debate, telling her 283 million followers who she intends to vote for.
"Like many of you, I watched the debate tonight. If you haven’t already, now is a great time to do your research on the issues at hand and the stances these candidates take on the topics that matter to you the most," she wrote.
"I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election."
It comes after a fake AI video of her showed her endorsing Donald Trump, with Swift saying the best way to combat misinformation was with the truth.
"I’m voting for Kamala Harris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them. I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos. I was so heartened and impressed by her selection of running mate Tim Walz, who has been standing up for LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and a woman’s right to her own body for decades.
"I’ve done my research, and I’ve made my choice. Your research is all yours to do, and the choice is yours to make."
Alongside the post, Swift included a photo with her cat, a clear nod to controversial comments made by Trump's VP pick that the Democratic party is made up of miserable cat ladies – a moniker she used to sign off.
The post racked up more than 3.5 million likes in the first hour.
Taylor Swift endorsement 'could move the needle'
It's very common in the US for celebrities to give political endorsements ahead of presidential elections. And for political strategists, Taylor Swift has long been seen as the biggest of whales. A part of that is the immense loyalty her fans display.
Dr Georgia Carroll from the University of Sydney did her PhD on Taylor Swift fandom and appreciates the intensity and dedication among her fan base.
"One of the most important things about her power over them is that in most cases they've been a fan of hers for a decade, more than half their life... and that really forges a deep connection.
"She's really framed herself as a friend to her fans. It's why so many fans are attached to the idea of her politics as well ... They want her to stand up."
The question is, how many will follow?
Dr Carroll believes the explicit endorsement "could move the needle" as her fans "know who we're supporting". She pointed to a previous effort when Swift encouraged her fans to vote in a local state election which saw a meaningful spike in voter registrations.
Dr Emma Shortis, a senior researcher and US watcher at RMIT University in Melbourne, agrees about the power of social media to mobilise certain groups of voters.
"Parts of the media do tend to overestimate the impact of celebrity endorsements," she told Yahoo. "But Taylor Swift is a cultural phenomenon in and of herself.
"If you think about the sheer number of people who went to her recent tour ... and the economic impact they had... We can't underestimate the power they hold."
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