By Kara Hopkins
After the 2024 presidential debate on September 10, Singer-songwriter Taylor Swift spoke to her 284 million followers. In this post, she endorsed candidate Kamala Harris for president.
She states her opinion that the United States needs a level-headed leader. “I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos”, Swift said. This is not the first time Swift has commented during an election. During the 2018 midterm elections, Swift expressed concern about Marsha Blackburn, a candidate in her home state of Tennessee. “I cannot vote for someone who will not be willing to fight for dignity for ALL Americans, no matter their skin color, gender or who they love”, Swift said via Instagram. Because of her 2018 post, CNBC News estimates 65,000 people of the ages 18 to 29 registered on vote.org within 24 hours. Swift had a larger impact this year. Her post including a custom link to vote.org influenced 405,999 people to visit the website within 24 hours, according to CBS News.
The singer has a strong influence over her fans, in more than just politics. “Swifties” are dedicated to her craft whether it comes to her political opinions, or her choice in clothing. In one of her social media posts, Swift wore a purple Popflex skirt. Even though the skirt was featured in 3 seconds of the YouTube short clip, Inc.com reports fans had sold out the skirt within 15 minutes of its debut. Swift understands her impact on social media and was direct in her endorsement of Harris. However, she urged her fans to make their own educated decision for the upcoming presidential election. “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”, Swift said.
