- 18% of voters say they are more likely or significantly more likely to vote for a candidate endorsed by the singer.
- In this election, we will see 8 million new voters in the US, and 41 million Gen Z voters according to Daily Mail.
people.com
The 2023 Times Magazine Person of the Year holds immense power in Gen Z and Millinial voters under the age of 35. Taylor Swift has shown she has the power to influence sports, pop culture and even economic regions of the US with her tour grossing over $1.04 billion according to Rolling Stone.
In recent elections we have seen an increase in celebrity power and endorcments. In 2018 Swift publicly intervenes in the Democratic midterm election in her home state of Tennessee and shows support for Phil Bredesen, despite the backlash from Republicans and Trump himself. The behind the scenes of this 2018 conversation with her team is shown in her 2020 documentary, Miss Americana.
She also voiced her support for Biden in 2020, stating “the change we need most is to elect a president who recognizes that people of color deserve to feel safe and represented, that women deserve the right to choose what happens to their bodies.”
With just one Instagram story of Swift urging her followers to exercise their right and register to vote, users logging into Vote.org skyrocketed 1,226% in one hour.
Without a doubt, Taylor Swift's endorsement of a presidential candidate will have a noticeable impact on the 2024 general election. Whether or not Swift's endorsement sway the election is less certain. It more or less depends on when Swift decides to lend her support to a candidate. For example, if Swift endorses a candidate today, the appeal may wane over time. So, timing is everything. Moreover, it depends how the mass media narrates the story. It is apparent the mass media has the power to frame issues and influence politics. The same is true for the campaign trail. Mass media's lead-up to the 2024 election have the ingredients to be especially turbulent. At the place where mass media and politics meet is an extremely dangerous intersection.
ReplyDeleteThe power Taylor Swift holds over her fans or "swifties" is no secret and it has become even more apparent after Taylor Swift's romance with Travis Kelce took the NFL by storm. If she was able to cause her fans to gush over her relationship by tuning into the NFL games I can't imagine the power she would hold by endorsing a candidate. Although she can use this power for good to motivate her followers to vote, it is really scary to imagine her followers believing in her so blindly that they would vote for any candidate she endorses.
ReplyDeleteI think Taylor Swift could definitely have a major influence in the 2024 election. As I have said before in other posts, those with a large following should be held to a high standard of truth and true opinion. Those that have the voice to make a difference and choose not to are a big part of the problem because there are many voices that are overshadowed by people with fame and fortune.
ReplyDeleteIt cannot be denied the immense influence and power Taylor Swift holds over her supporters and in the public as well. If she brings attention to a particular topic or person, attention will spike for that topic or person. Can Taylor Swift sway the 2024 election? She can influence it one way or the another. She will likely support the Democrat candidate who will probably be Joe Biden again. I will not go so far as to say her support will decide the election, but it is important enough to consider.
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