Taylor Swift, a Berks County native, ignited a prepared Pa. base when she endorsed Kamala Harris

[RandySF]

Swifties had already begun organizing for Vice President Kamala Harris en masse before their “Fearless” leader’s endorsement on Tuesday. Now their impact is poised to grow — especially in the key battleground state where singer Taylor Swift was born.

Already, Swift loyalists have raised tens of thousands of dollars for Harris’ campaign and voter registration efforts, and, following the musician’s Instagram post Tuesday endorsing Harris, hundreds of thousands of people visited a voter registration website.

Embracing the strong bond that comes with their fandom, Swifties are well-positioned to make an impact in Pennsylvania, a critical swing state that former President Donald Trump and Harris both see as crucial for their paths to the White House. Swifties are multigenerational, but they skew younger — a voting bloc particularly important for a Democratic win that both candidates have their eyes on.

Michele Ramsey, who teaches a class about Taylor Swift at Pennsylvania State University’s Berks County campus, said the biggest impact of Swift’s endorsement isn’t necessarily changing people’s views, but rather garnering engagement and registration, as demonstrated by Swift’s endorsement post prompting more than 400,00 visitors to vote.gov within 24 hours. Ramsey, 56, said that Swift’s (at least appearance of) authenticity is key, and multiple Swifties said they appreciated her focus on people doing their own research in her announcement, which has garnered over 10 million likes on Instagram.




https://www.inquirer.com/politics/nation/taylor-swift-kamala-harris-pennsylvania-election-20240913.html