WASHINGTON (AP) — Taylor Swift, one of many music business’s greatest stars, endorsed Kamala Harris for president shortly after the debate ended on Tuesday night time.
“I believe she is a steady-handed, gifted chief and I consider we are able to accomplish a lot extra on this nation if we’re led by calm and never chaos,” Swift wrote in an Instagram post, which included a hyperlink to a voter registration web site.
Swift has a devoted following amongst younger girls, a key demographic within the November election, and her newest tour has generated more than $1 billion in ticket gross sales. In a half hour, the publish acquired greater than 2.3 million likes.
She included an image of herself holding her cat Benjamin Button, and he or she signed the message “Childless Cat Girl.” The comment is a reference to three-year-old comments made by JD Vance, Donald Trump’s operating mate, about girls with out youngsters not having an equal stake within the nation’s future.
Swift wrote that her endorsement was partially prompted by Trump’s decision to post AI-generated pictures suggesting that she had endorsed him. One confirmed Swift dressed as Uncle Sam, and the textual content stated “Taylor needs YOU to VOTE for DONALD TRUMP.”
Trump’s posts “introduced me to the conclusion that I have to be very clear about my precise plans for this election as a voter,” Swift wrote. She added that “I’ve finished my analysis, and I’ve made my selection.”
The Trump marketing campaign dismissed Swift’s endorsement.
“That is additional proof that the Democrat Get together has sadly turn out to be a celebration of the rich elites,” stated spokesperson Karoline Leavitt.
“There’s many Swifties for Trump on the market in America,” she stated, herself included.
Swift’s endorsement was not precisely a shock. In 2020, she supported President Joe Biden, and he or she cheered for Harris in her debate towards then-Vice President Mike Pence. She additionally was brazenly crucial of Trump, saying he had stoked “the fires of white supremacy and racism.”
Swift is a well-liked determine nationwide, however particularly amongst Democrats. An October 2023 Fox Information ballot discovered that 55% of voters total, together with 68% of Democrats, stated that they had a positive view of Swift. Republicans had been divided, with 43% having a positive opinion and 45% an unfavorable one.
AP VoteCast suggests {that a} partisan divide on Swift was obvious as early as 2018. That’s the yr Swift made her first political endorsement, supporting Tennessee Democrat Phil Bredesen for Senate over Republican Marsha Blackburn.
VoteCast discovered that amongst Tennessee voters that yr, 55% of Democrats and simply 19% of Republicans stated that they had a positive opinion of Swift. Blackburn received by a cushty margin within the deep purple state.
Related Press author Jill Colvin in Philadelphia contributed to this report.
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