A new YouGov poll reveals that Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris might be doing more harm than good for Harris’s campaign. Swift announced on Instagram that she would support Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) in the 2024 presidential election, praising their stances on various progressive issues.
However, the poll shows mixed reactions to Swift’s political endorsement. Only 8% of voters indicated that Swift’s support made them more likely to vote for Harris. Conversely, 20% of respondents said they were less inclined to support Harris due to Swift’s endorsement. A substantial 66% of voters reported that Swift’s announcement had no effect on their voting decisions.
Public opinion on celebrity endorsements is divided. Forty-one percent of those surveyed believe Swift should avoid political commentary, whereas 38% are in favor of her public endorsements. The poll also found that 66% of respondents are not fans of Swift, while 28% are fans and 6% are “big fans.” Most of the “big fans” are women and registered Democrats.
Following Swift’s endorsement, there was a noticeable increase in traffic to vote.gov, with over 337,000 visitors clicking through from Swift’s Instagram link. Despite this, the poll results suggest that Swift’s influence may not significantly impact voter behavior in November.
Additionally, while 46% of respondents felt Harris performed well in the recent debate compared to 19% for former President Donald Trump, only 6% said the debate changed their vote. The findings indicate that celebrity endorsements, even from high-profile figures like Swift, might not be a decisive factor in the upcoming election.
