Taylor Swift supports Kamala Harris: “We can achieve so much more in this country if we are guided by calm and not chaos”

It’s official: Taylor Swift has endorsed Kamala Harris and the Democratic Party for the November 5 elections. She did so immediately after the debate between the candidate and Donald Trump, whom she mocked in the photo that accompanied the text with which she supported Harris: an image hugging a cat, a nod to Trump’s lies about migrants eating pets. The artist, currently one of the most powerful in the world in terms of influence, already supported the Biden-Harris ticket in 2020 and has criticized Trump’s policies. The fact that Swift now supports the Harris-Walz tandem is essential for the party, especially when it comes to encouraging women and young people to vote.

Her support for the Democrats has been expected for weeks, if not months, but in recent weeks, given her great global fame and her closeness to some figures who support the Republicans, it has been questioned; specifically because of her closeness to Brittany Mahomes, wife of NFL player Patrick Mahomes, teammate on the Kansas City Chiefs of her current boyfriend, Travis Kelce, since she has shown her support for Trump and both have been seen together in public in an affectionate attitude. But Swift has continued the path of supporting the Democrats that she began in 2018, when she supported two politicians of that party in Tennessee, where she grew up. At eleven o’clock at night (Eastern time in the US), just 15 minutes after the presidential debate ended, she posted a long message on her Instagram profile, with 283 million followers, in which she clearly supported the candidate, and which she did not hesitate to sign with irony as “Lady with cats without children” (Childless Cat Lady), in a nod to attacks on Harris by Trump and his vice presidential candidate JD Vance.

“Like many of you, I watched tonight’s debate. If you haven’t already, now is a great time to do some research on the issues at hand and where the candidates stand on the issues that matter most to you. As a voter, I make sure to watch and read as much as I can about their proposed policies and plans for this country,” the 34-year-old Pennsylvania singer began her post. “I recently learned that artificial intelligence had created a ‘me’ that falsely supported Donald Trump’s presidential candidacy on their website. This really raised my fears about AI and the dangers of spreading misinformation. It led me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter. The easiest way to combat misinformation is with the truth.”

“I will be voting for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 presidential election,” Swift said clearly. “I am voting for Kamala Harris because she is fighting for rights and causes that I believe need a warrior to defend. I think she is a strong and gifted leader, and I think we can achieve much more in this country if we are guided by calm and not chaos,” she explained, in what does seem to be a clear reference to the usual exaltation of Donald Trump. “I was very encouraged and impressed that she chose as her running mate Tim Walz, who has spent decades defending LGBTQ+ rights, fertility in vitro and women’s rights over their own bodies,” she explained.

“I have done my research and I have chosen. Do your research and choose yourselves,” she encourages her followers. “I also want to say, especially to those who are voting for the first time: remember that you have to be registered to vote! Also, I think it is much easier to vote early. In my Stories I will put a link on where to register and where to find information and dates for early voting,” she said, and she did indeed post a Story (which lasts 24 hours) with the link to register. Finally, she signs the text “with love and hope,” as well as “Lady with cat without children.” The image that accompanies the text is part of the session she starred in for the magazine. Time last December, when she was chosen by the publication as the most influential person of the year.

Swift’s position has been a matter of debate for months. Back in January, Republicans were upset that the artist would show her support for Biden at the Super Bowl on February 11, when there were still more than 10 months to go before the elections, something that, as expected, did not happen. She has not spoken about politics, or any thorny issue, during the year and a half of her successful tour. The Eras Tourwith whom she has performed more than 130 concerts on five continents. But since then, many have longed for the singer’s support, especially during the lowest moments of Biden’s candidacy.

In an interview for this newspaper, the professor of Political Sciences at the Amherst College in Massachusetts Polarization expert Alexander Theodoridis explained the importance of such support: “Will supporting a candidate change the way his fans think? No. It’s highly unlikely,” he mused. “What it will do is show his enthusiasm and spread it among his fans. Make them donate, volunteer. And his fan base, which is disproportionately female and young, will say: ‘Hey, you have to be excited. ’ And that enthusiasm will make all the difference.”

The doctor in Administrative Sciences specialized in Technological Innovation from the University of Guadalajara, Alejandra Rosales Sotoa researcher at the CETYS School of Administration and Business in Tijuana, has explained that around 55% of Swift’s followers are Democrats, and 23% are independents, so around another 20% could be Republicans. For this reason, she said, the singer was going to focus “on where there is the least negativity, the election is not focused on the positive aspects.” “Without a doubt, she will inspire fans who are on her side of the political spectrum to go out and vote for the candidate she supports. Voters, especially younger ones, tend to cast their votes on issues beyond loyalty to a candidate. Swift can have more impact on the campaign if she shares her position on these issues, especially on issues that impact young women, and not so much if she supports a candidate,” said the expert in a chat with this newspaper.

Part of her power is tangible, as when the artist encouraged her fans to register to vote through her Instagram Stories a year ago, as she did this time. She then achieved 35,000 registrations, an increase of 1,226%, according to Vote.orgThis time, with the most important elections in years just around the corner, their support may be decisive.