If you think Taylor Swift won’t impact the 2024 election, you might want to take a critical thinking class along with J.D. Vance. According to him, Swift is a “billionaire celebrity” that “is fundamentally disconnected from the interests and the problems of most Americans.”
The irony of it all is almost sickening. Donald Trump’s net worth of over 3.7 billion dollars nearly triples Swifts’ own 1.1 billion. Despite what Vance argues, fame and money are synonymous with influence. Because of fame and money, Trump is able to campaign. Because of fame and money, Swift’s opinion on the election will influence Americans.
In fact, it already has. Since she shared her Instagram post in support of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz on Tuesday, September 10th, over 400,000 people have clicked on the link she provided to Vote.gov as reported by Rolling Stone. In a close election, voter registration is critical. Young voters, many of whom makeup Swift’s fan base, are not necessarily informed of and experienced with election practices.
By spreading awareness, Swift created an opportunity to ensure that this new generation of voters will actually have a say in the election before they realize it’s too late.
Swift’s reach is undeniable. Her post was shared to her 284 million followers, but is able to be seen by anyone with an Instagram account. 11 million people have already liked the post, and 1.5 million have shared it. If every vote counts, then don’t millions of potential votes count too?
The wording of Swift’s caption shows a level of respect and maturity that sets her apart from other billionaire celebrities like Trump. Despite what some have claimed, she never outright said “you must vote for Harris.” Instead, Swift explained that after watching the debate and doing her own research, she will be voting blue. She then went on to say “your research is all yours to do, and the choice is yours to make.”
If that’s not admirable, I don’t know what is. Swift eloquently outlined the policies like women’s rights that have won her support of the Harris-Walz campaign.
By not only leaving room for but also by encouraging her followers to make their own decision, I believe she did not ostracize her conservative fans. Some right-leaning “fans” have ostracized themselves, but if they cannot support the right to free speech they so often quote, is Swift really to blame?
Celebrities in the spotlight are going to receive backlash no matter what they do. Prior to her post, she was being a coward and enabling Trump for not taking a stand. After her post, she’s just another out of touch, bleeding-heart liberal. Yet, I think her endorsement of Harris came at the perfect time. The disaster of the debate left many Americans disillusioned, but it also sparked more support for Harris. By adding fuel to the fire of her campaign, Swift was able to influence the election. She may have just gotten voters who were already thinking of voting for Harris to register and make their voice count. She may have swayed independent and on-the-fence voters. She may have changed the minds of her conservative fans. Regardless, she made a scene, took a stance, and spread awareness.
So yes, I care what she has to say, far more than I care about the next ridiculous comments that come out of Trump’s mouth. You can hate it all you want, but Swift, the billionaire celebrity, made a positive impact on the election.
