The most coveted political endorsement of 2024 didn’t move the needle.
On Sept. 11, Taylor Swift praised Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign with a cat-themed snapshot. The most powerful celebrity on Earth had spoken, something Democratic pundits had been praying for ever since Harris entered the race.
It opened the celebrity floodgates. Bruce Springsteen. Beyonce. Lady Gaga. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Jennifer Aniston. Jennifer Lopez. Jeff Bridges. Ben Stiller. Will Ferrell. Julia Roberts. George Clooney.
Even the Avengers assembled for Team Harris. And Harris lost.
Bigly.
The far-Left press had celebrated every endorsement. Now, some of the same platforms bemoaned that they had little to no effect on the race.
The collective endorsements may have backfired.
Yet for all the Gen Z courtship and endorsements from celebrities with legions of young fans, vote tallies showed that Harris significantly lost ground among 18- to 29-year-olds compared to Biden.
The liberal Guardian also lashed out at outspoken stars.
‘George Clooney – who cares?’ Did celebrity endorsements actually harm Kamala Harris?
Americans are hurting. High gas prices and record-levels of inflation have made life harder. Unfettered immigration has impacted communities across the country.
Aurora cops expressed concern about Tren de Aragua last year — but officials gaslit them: leaked emails https://t.co/c57k5cphMr pic.twitter.com/5IQooAQQd5
— New York Post (@nypost) October 25, 2024
Your average celebrity is mostly immune to all of the above. “The Hangover” star Zach Galifianakis hinted at this disconnect months before Election Day.
“It works to a point, but they have to win over rural America,” the actor continued. “Hollywood thinks it’s so important and that’s a problem. Actors are people too, and they’re citizens too, but I’m more on the small-town side of that than I am on the Hollywood side of that. That’s just me.”
His message fell on deaf ears. Now, some suggest celebrities will pump the brakes on future endorsements. Consider Kirsten Fleming’s thoughtful piece on the subject.
When a majority of the electorate overwhelmingly says the country is moving in the wrong direction and they’re being financially crushed by inflation, don’t bother with policy. Offer them a song.
Sung by a rich person. Preferably a very rich person with a mansion — who can also lecture them on how to vote.
She’s right. Yet it won’t stop the flood of celebrity endorsements in the mid-terms or the 2028 presidential race.
Why?
Stars get an endorphin rush from them, for starters. Heck, it’s why most of us can’t get enough of social media. We’re all guilty of chasing that digital high.
Celebrity endorsements also generate gobs of publicity. That’s rarely a bad thing for most stars. The media frames these endorsements in a positive light, too, assuming they lean to the Left.
That’s an added bonus.
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We’re learning that these endorsements don’t have much impact, but that’s not necessarily a deal breaker for stars. They may not be thinking logically about them. It’s similar to how their political statements sink both awards show ratings and, potentially, box office receipts.
They keep on speaking out, regardless of the consequences. It’s their free speech right, of course. Pragmatically speaking, though, they’re hurting themselves and their industry.
Another vital reason why these endorsements will continue? It’s a signal to fellow progressives.
Stars want to belong. They understand their peers lean aggressively to the Left. Celebrity endorsements let them publicly show solidarity with the cause. It’s something conservative actor Nick Searcy has explained over the years.
It’s a form of, “Hire me. I think the same way you do.” In a fiercely competitive Hollywood, any job advantage matters.
That means the Avengers may assemble anew in 2028, regardless of its potential impact. And the media may demand once more that Swift pick a side.
