Miss Americana Breaks Her Silence: Swift Endorses Harris-Walz Campaign Following Debate

Image by Paolo V

Taylor Swift has captivated audiences worldwide for 18 years and has dominated the country and pop charts. The last 18 months, however, have transformed her into a sensation unlike anything we have seen before. They say with great power comes great responsibility, and Swift has used her stage of fame to give the Harris-Walz campaign a much-coveted endorsement. 

Minutes after the presidential debate on September 10, Ms. Swift took to Instagram to share her plans for the election, specifically to cast her vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz as they prioritize issues that matter most to her. The singer-songwriter highlighted that her fears about AI and misinformation spread by former President Trump motivated her to be transparent about the truth. She concludes: “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.” In a dig at Vice President Candidate JD Vance, Swift signed off as “Childless Cat Lady.”

The singer-songwriter added a Vote.Gov link on her Instagram story to encourage young voters to check their registration status or register if they were first-time voters. It was confirmed that the site received a striking 405,999 visits in the 24 hours following her post— far exceeding the daily average of 30,000 throughout early September. While this surge doesn’t directly indicate voter registration or political affiliation, Swift’s endorsement may have inspired many young people to take their first steps toward participating in the upcoming election.

Political endorsements are not unusual for Ms. Swift. Much of her early career in country music cemented her as ‘America’s Sweetheart,’ leading many to assume that she would support conservative politicians. In the 2020 documentary Miss Americana, Swift debunks those claims and takes viewers through the struggle to voice her beliefs amid fears of backlash. The film highlights a turning point for her when it became clear that there was no longer an option to keep quiet. Swift is seen fighting with her father and publicity team regarding the 2018 midterm elections, ultimately sharing that she did not care about the consequences of speaking out. 

Swift then took to Instagram, Tumblr, and Twitter in October of 2018 to share her endorsement for Phil Bredesen (D-TN) for Senate and Jim Cooper (D-TN) for House of Representatives in Tennessee. She has voiced her support for the LGBTQ+ community, fighting systemic racism, and protections for the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) while encouraging youth voter registration. The communications director of vote.org has confirmed that the site saw 65,000 registrations within 24 hours of Swift’s announcement. While Bredesen lost to Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Cooper won re-election; more importantly, Swift solidified her stance on provocative political issues and influence on voter engagement.

Two years later, Ms. Swift weighed in on an election once again for the 2020 presidential election. She spoke to V Magazine about her intention to vote for Joe Biden for president and shared an Instagram post on October 7, 2020, with her plans to watch the VP debate that night. Her post was accompanied by a photo of her holding a large tray of custom Biden-Harris 2020 campaign cookies. 

Those who kept up with Swift’s politics could have predicted that the 2022 endorsement was a long time coming. Her continuous support for Democrats and Liberal policies, however, did not stop Donald Trump from sharing AI images on Truth Social of Swift and Swifties supposedly supporting his campaign. His comment on the photos: “I accept!” He recently returned to Swift-related posts on Truth Social following her Harris endorsement, voicing his anger and going as far as to say that he hates the singer. While the goal of the AI images posted by the former president is still unclear, it is undeniable that he is not a fan of Swift’s music or politics. 

It is indisputable that Ms. Swift is a role model for many young girls, and potentially the final push some of her fan base needed to get out and vote for this November. Alternatively, her endorsement may have sparked fear among Republicans, given her influence, driving higher turnout opposing the Harris-Walz ticket. Taylor Swift made her stance clear, and the impact has begun to echo throughout the world of politics. Can her cultural power truly turn her fan base into a major force in the political landscape? Swift’s base consists almost entirely of a demographic that will reliably vote blue: young women. It is unlikely that the smaller percentage of conservative Swifties will switch their vote because of the endorsement, as data shows that celebrity endorsements are most impactful in elections within a party— such as primaries. Second, the impact will be hard to gauge. The Harris campaign has prioritized the youth vote in ways that have lacked in past presidential campaigns. This indicates a likelihood of increased youth voter turnout for Democrats, which would similarly be the likely consequence of the Swift endorsement. The challenge then becomes determining the impact of the isolated actions, which is increasingly difficult to prove. 

Taylor Swift has been at the peak of her career for some time now, and she is only continuing to climb. With that comes a high level of public scrutiny and social responsibility. Despite celebrity endorsements often being viewed through a dual lens— some see them as essential, and others criticize them— Swift’s endorsement of the Harris-Walz campaign, with echoes of her earlier endorsements emphasizing social justice and equality, has been praised by several prominent figures.

Taylor Swift made her stance clear. Her push for young voters to register to vote regardless of party indicates that while she supports specific party values, she shares a focus on encouraging education and standing up for what is right. Whether the Republicans were …Ready For It or not, the record has been set straight. Kamala Harris has plenty of Swifties ready to beat The Man and signal to Trump that he is Never Ever Getting Back Together with the Oval Office.