With Election Day less than two months away, everyone was glued to their TVs on the night of Sept. 10 as Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump faced off in their first debate against each other. The 90-minute debate covered some of the most pressing issues in the upcoming election, including the economy, reproductive rights, immigration, and climate change. It was, in a few words… an interesting night.
And after the debate concluded, the night got even more interesting. While people took to social media to voice their thoughts on the debate, one opinion stood out in particular: Taylor Swift. Minutes following the debate’s conclusion, the pop icon officially endorsed Harris, sharing her support in an Instagram post that quickly went viral. Â
“I’m voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them,” reads part of Swift’s caption. “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.”
With 284 million Instagram followers, Swift has an enormous platform to influence young voters. But how do young voters actually feel about Swift’s endorsement? Her Campus spoke with Gen Zers across the U.S. to find out. Here’s what they had to say.
some gen zers think Swift’s Endorsement is A Game-Changer.
Swift’s connection to Gen Z through her music and mega-star status suggests her support for Harris could be a powerful motivator for young people as Election Day approaches. “I’m excited she’s using her platform to promote her political interests,” sophomore Tamara* tells Her Campus.
Bea*, another junior, believes Swift’s endorsement could even help sway those who were on the fence about who they plan to vote for: “It was definitely an appeal to other seemingly moderate people.”
How many people are going to change their vote because of a Taylor Swift endorsement?
Some young Harris supporters are taking a cautiously optimistic approach. “My initial instinct is that this was big and will greatly help Kamala,” junior Haley* says. “However, I wonder how many moderates or Republicans are huge Taylor Swift fans. How many people are going to change their vote because of a Taylor Swift endorsement?”
On the flip side, some worry Swift’s influence could be too strong, leading people to vote for Harris based solely on Swift’s support. “I wonder if voters are thinking something along the lines of, “‘Taylor Swift is voting for Kamala, so I’m going to vote for Kamala,'” Megan*, a junior, says.
I really liked that she emphasized the importance of research and educating yourself, because that is what voters should be doing.
That said, Swift’s post wasn’t just about endorsing Harris; she also made it clear that she encourages making your own informed decision about this year’s election. “I really liked that she emphasized the importance of research and educating yourself, because that is what voters should be doing,” Megan adds. “I feel like in the age of social media it becomes so easy to just scroll on Instagram and feel like you are educated, but that can be so far from the truth.”
Not Everyone is thrilled with the timing of Swift’s endorsement.
Considering Swift publicly supported Joe Biden and Harris in the 2020 election, many believed it wasn’t a matter if *if* Swift would endorse Harris for president — but when.
“I thought it was expected as she endorsed Biden in the 2020 elections,” Ashley*, a rising junior, says. “But I do think it was reactive to maybe cover up some of the drama she’s been associated with.”
What drama, you ask? Well, fans have been calling for Swift to weigh in on the election for months, so her silence on that — compared to other celebrities that quickly endorsed Harris when she announced her candidacy, like Ariana Grande, Charli XCX, and Cardi B — didn’t go unnoticed. Further, criticism of Swift’s silence about the election has been heightened in recent weeks following AI-generated images of Swift supporting Trump circulating on the internet, as well as her friendship with Brittany Mahomes, who reportedly showed support for Donald Trump by liking (and then unliking) an IG post in support of him.Â
Even though I do think the timing of it may have been influenced by recent controversies, I think her statement is genuine and well thought-out.
But some of those who are criticizing her timing are still, overall, pleased that she spoke up. “I think Taylor should’ve spoken up sooner [but] Taylor’s gesture is a huge deal, since she has a very large fanbase and she’s entitled to speak up when she felt ready,” sophomore Macy* says. Junior Bailey* adds: “I think this endorsement has been a long time coming — pun intended. Even though I do think the timing of it may have been influenced by recent controversies, I think her statement is genuine and well thought-out.”
Regardless how you feel about Swift’s endorsement, her message about researching your candidates, registering to vote, and actually making your voice heard is something everyone should be able to get behind. In fact, Swift created her own URL link to Vote.gov, a website that helps people register to vote, and an estimated 338,000 users visited the website using Swift’s link in less than 24 hours after her initial endorsement post. So, be sure you’re registered so you, too, can fill in those *blank spaces* on the ballot come November!
*Names have been changed.