Taylor Swift has wandered far from her country music roots and has drifted pretty far to the left along the way.
Swift stood firmly against Donald Trump throughout his presidency. Her support extends to groups advocating for gun control and endorsing politicians who champion the Equality Act, a legislation aimed at enhancing the rights of LGBTQ individuals. Congress has not yet passed this legislation.
In 2018, she caused a stir by endorsing Phil Bredesen, the Democratic Senate candidate, in her native Tennessee. Her decision stemmed from her disagreement with Republican Marsha Blackburn’s positions on social issues.
And now, an endorsement from the pop superstar may shore up President Joe Biden’s sagging re-election campaign. Biden’s campaign aides are reportedly eager for Taylor Swift’s endorsement in the 2024 election, anticipating its significant fundraising potential for the campaign, as per a recent report.
According to The Times, one of Swift’s Instagram posts in 2022 resulted in 35,000 new voter registrations. The report noted that fundraising appeals from Swift could potentially yield millions of dollars for President Biden as he aims to invigorate his re-election campaign. Recent polls have caused concern among Biden’s supporters, as he frequently finds himself trailing or tied with former President Trump, the GOP frontrunner.
In September, California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom expressed his hopes that Swift would increase her involvement in the president’s re-election campaign. Swift has publicly backed Democratic candidates in recent elections, a shift that followed earlier criticism from the left regarding her lack of opinion on progressive issues.
The New York Times reported that the discussion surrounding Swift and the prospect of reaching her 279 million Instagram followers became so intense that the Biden team advised applicants in a job posting for a social media position not to detail their Taylor Swift re-election strategy on their applications, stating that “the campaign had enough suggestions already.”
In a 2020 interview with V Magazine, Swift emphasized the importance of electing a president who prioritizes the safety and representation of people of color, supports women’s right to choose, and acknowledges and includes the LGBTQIA+ community.
Swift endorsed Biden in 2020 but hasn’t officially weighed in on the 2024 race yet. However, it’s widely expected that she would support Biden again, given her outspoken criticism of former President Trump. Her endorsement could inject the Biden campaign with the enthusiasm it is currently lacking. So far, nothing else has worked and the campaign’s anti-Trump strategy is getting stale.
Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC) emphasized that President Biden cannot solely rely on an “anti-Trump” message to secure victory in the 2024 election. Clyburn expressed concern that Trump’s supporters are emotionally connected to him and likely to turn out in significant numbers. He warns that Biden must cultivate emotional ties with his supporters to drive voter turnout.
And a Swift endorsement may provide those emotional ties. The reigning pop princess enjoys a substantial fanbase in the United States, according to data from a Morning Consult survey conducted in March 2023. The research revealed that 53% of American adults are fans of Taylor Swift. Among these enthusiasts, 16% proudly identify as Swifties, a group of hardcore Swift fans.
When examining the generational breakdown of Swift’s fan base, the majority belongs to the millennial generation, followed by baby boomers, and then Generation X.
A survey conducted among U.S. Taylor Swift fans in March 2023 revealed that 55 percent of Swifties were Democrats, while only 23 percent identified as Republicans.
Her social media following has Biden’s campaign aids excited to earn her approval. Swift commands an impressive following of 518.996 million across all her social media platforms. On Instagram, Swift boasts 279 million followers, while her Facebook page has over 70 million likes. On X, Swift has a following of 43 million fans.
But those followers were probably less than amused when Biden, during a Thanksgiving speech, referred to no less than three separate pop stars in an attempt to remember who, exactly, was on tour in Brazil. Hint: it was Swift. Biden initially referenced Beyoncé’s “Renaissance World Tour” but abruptly shifted to discussing the weather in Brazil, where Swift had just finished a show. He also mentioned “Britney,” which some Twitter users interpreted as Britney Spears.
The president’s aides want to secure the endorsement of their “wildest dreams” from Swift, even humorously suggesting that President Biden attend one of her “Eras Tour” concerts. Biden would probably be all in; many Swifties are young girls with freshly washed hair, perfect for him to sniff at a crowded concert.
