STAKING HER CLAIM

Taylor Swift Endorses Kamala Harris in Post-Debate Mic Drop

The pop star’s endorsement is sure to be a swing in the race.

Taylor Swift made it official on Tuesday night: She’s endorsing Kamala Harris and Tim Walz for president and vice president.

“Like many of you, I watched the debate tonight,” she posted to Instagram along with a photo of her holding her cat, Benjamin Button. “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.

“I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election,” she continued. “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.”

In a further example of the strength of her convictions, Swift signed her post as a “childless cat lady.”

Not long after her Instagram announcement, the Harris campaign responded with a post on X, saying, “Ready for it,” a reference to one of Swift’s hits.

It’s long been rumored that Swift, a 34-year-old Pennsylvania native, would endorse the Democratic ticket—she has backed Democratic candidates in the past.

Even prior to Swift’s social media statement Tuesday, Republicans and Trump himself have attacked the musician for her political leanings—possibly fearful at what her endorsement might mean for what’s shaping up to be an tight race.

(They have also made a play for her support, though, with Trump among those in recent weeks sharing AI-generated images purporting to show Swifties backing his campaign. Swift cited these fakes as part of the reason she had to make her position on this election public.)

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Trump’s campaign was quick to address Swift’s endorsement on Tuesday, claiming it’s somehow proof that Harris has become “the party of the wealthy elite.”

“President Trump will fight for the American worker, the struggling family who can’t afford grocery and gas, and the angel families who are losing their loved ones of Kamala’s open border,” said campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt.

Asked about Swift’s endorsement in a post-debate gaggle with reporters, Trump remarked that he hadn’t seen the news yet.

While Swift was the only prominent celeb to make an endorsement late Tuesday, scores of other big names threw their support behind Swift by liking her post. Among them: Caitlin Clark, Selena Gomez, Jennifer Aniston, Mandy Moore, Andy Cohen, Jack Antonoff, Chrissy Teigen, reported Brian Stelter of CNN.

After just 30 minutes, Swift’s endorsement post had eclipsed a whopping two million likes—and was, as off 11:45 pm ET, still climbing by the thousands each minute.

Harris’, well, endorsement of Swift’s endorsement was seemingly immediate. As she exited the stage of a post-debate rally, Swift’s “The Man” played—a track Rolling Stone once described as “a righteous feminist bombshell.”

“I’m so sick of running as fast as I can,” Swift sings in the song, released in 2019. “Wondering if I’d get there quicker if I was a man.”

Harris and Walz’ campaign also began selling friendship bracelets—a clear nod to Swifties’ obsession with the kitschy acessory at shows during her Eras Tour. The bracelets, which say “Harris” and “Walz” will set a buyer back $20.

“Are you ready for it?” the bracelet’s description reads. “Harris-Walz friendship bracelets are here!

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