Just minutes after the first presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump wrapped up, perhaps the most influential person in America — Ms Taylor Swift has pledged her support behind the democratic nominee.
In a lengthy statement posted to Instagram alongside a photo of her with her cat, Swift pledged her support behind Harris.
“Like many of you, I watched the debate tonight. If you haven’t already, now is a great time to do your research on the issues at hand and the stances these candidates take on the topics that matter to you the most,” she wrote.
“As a voter, I make sure to watch and read everything I can about their proposed policies and plans for this country.”
For context on just how influential this could be for Harris’ election hopes, when Swift made an Instagram post encouraging voters to register in September last year, the national voting register saw more than 35,000 new registrations in a single day.
While it is unclear exaclty how many of these registrations were directly due to Swift’s post, Vote.org reported a 1,226 percent jump in participation within an hour of her post going live.
In the endorsement post, she clarified that she had not endorsed Trump, despite his camp using an AI image of her as an endorsement recently.
“Recently I was made aware that AI of ‘me’ falsely endorsing Donald Trump’s presidential run was posted to his site,” she said.
“It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation.
“It brought 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.”
She outwardly announced that she will be voting for Harris and Tim Walz when Americans head to the polls later this year — praising her leadership, and the views of her running mate.
“I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election,” she announced.
“I’m voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them. 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.
“I was so heartened and impressed by her selection of running mate @timwalz, who has been standing up for LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and a woman’s right to her own body for decades.”
She encouraged voters to do their own research, and to make sure they are registered to vote — adding a link to voter registration in her Instagram story.
“I’ve done my research, and I’ve made my choice,” she said. “Your research is all yours to do, and the choice is yours to make.
“I also want to say, especially to first time voters: Remember that in order to vote, you have to be registered! I also find it’s much easier to vote early. I’ll link where to register and find early voting dates and info in my story.”
The official endorsement comes after days of speculation, with Swift being slammed by fans for hanging out with fellow Kansas City Chiefs WAG Brittany Mahomes — who is rumoured to be a Trump supporter.
While Mahomes has not publicly endorsed Trump, he has personally thanked her for “so strongly defending” him.
As one of the most famous and influential people on the planet, Swift’s endorsement is particularly helpful for Harris heading into the 2024 election.
Lead image: Getty Images
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