The immense popularity of Taylor Swift and her influence have led both Democrats and Republicans to seek her support, but despite publicly endorsing Biden in 2020, she has been hesitant to do so. Until the debate this Tuesday (early Wednesday in Spain).
Just minutes after the face-off between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, Swift posted a lengthy text on Instagram - where she has 283 million followers - making it clear that her vote on November 5th will be for Harris: "Like many of you, I watched tonight's debate. If you haven't yet, now is a good time to research the issues at hand and the candidates' stances on the issues that matter most to you. As a voter, I make sure to observe and read everything I can about the policies and plans they propose for this country," begins the singer of 'Cruel Summer'.
In her post, she explained that she wanted to wait to see both candidates in the debate and revealed that her decision to take a stand came after learning that Trump had used AI-generated images to falsely claim he had the singer's support.
That event, she explained, evoked "her fears about artificial intelligence 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 simplest way to combat misinformation is with the truth."
"I will vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 presidential elections," states the singer, one of the most influential celebrities in the country. "I vote for Kamala Harris because she fights for the rights and causes that I believe need a warrior to defend them," she explains. "I believe she is a talented leader with a firm hand, and I think we can achieve much more in this country if we are guided by calmness and not chaos. I was very encouraged and impressed by her choice of running mate Tim Walz, who has been advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and women's right to their own bodies for decades."
In the post, Swift poses with a photo of her cat Benjamin and signed her post as Childless Cat Lady, a reference to Trump's running mate, J.D. Vance, who criticized Harris and childless women by calling them that. Swift's support is not to be underestimated and could have a significant impact on young voters, which could be crucial for Harris to win a race that polls show as particularly tight. The star's power was evident when in 2023 she encouraged her fans to register to vote, directing them to the non-profit, non-partisan organization Vote.org.
The impact was immediate: the institution reported having registered over 35,000 new registrations after the message, a 23% increase from the previous year and the highest number since 2020.
As the news broke, the vice-presidential candidate himself was being interviewed on MSNBC. The host read the singer's post to him, to which he placed his hand on his heart and expressed his gratitude.
Elon Musk reacted to Taylor Swift's post by stating on the social network X, of which he is the owner, that: "Okay Taylor... you win... I will give you a child and take care of your cats with my life." This sparked numerous comments about the potential influence the singer could have.