Taylor Swift supports Kamala Harris as presidential candidate

CNN
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Taylor Swift said Tuesday that she is supporting Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential race, ending speculation about if and when the superstar singer would make her political views known ahead of the November election.

“Like many of you, I watched tonight’s debate. If you haven’t already, now is a great time to educate yourself on the issues at hand and these candidates’ stances on the issues that matter most to you. As a voter, I make sure to watch and read everything I can find about their proposed policies and plans for this country,” Swift wrote on Instagram.

“I recently became aware that a story was posted on his website in which ‘I’ falsely endorsed Donald Trump’s presidential candidacy. This has only heightened my fears about AI and the dangers of spreading misinformation. It made me realize that as a voter, I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election. The easiest way to combat misinformation is with the truth. I will be voting for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 presidential election.”

Harris became the Democratic Party’s nominee in July after President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race. In August, Harris announced Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate.

Swift mentioned Harris’ choice of Walz in her recommendation.

“I’m voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes that I believe need a fighter to represent them. I think she is a calm, gifted leader and believe we can accomplish so much more in this country when we are led by calm, not chaos. I was so encouraged and impressed by her choice of her running mate @timwalz, who has been an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and women’s rights to their own bodies for decades,” Swift wrote.

“I have done my research and made my choice. Your research is entirely up to you and you make the choice. I want to say to first-time voters in particular: remember that you must be registered to vote! I also find it much easier to vote early. In my story, I will post links to registration options and dates and information on early voting.”

Swift ended her post by calling herself a “childless cat lady,” alluding to a phrase previously used by Senator JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, to criticize Democrats.

In 2020, Swift announced her support for Biden and Harris in their bid to reach the White House.

Swift remained largely politically low-key throughout her nearly two-decade career until she endorsed two Tennessee Democratic candidates in the 2018 midterm elections. Since then, she has been a vocal supporter of Democratic policies and candidates, often encouraging her followers to vote and advocating for women’s rights, reproductive health and LGBTQ+ rights.

In her 2020 documentary “Miss Americana,” Swift expressed regret for not speaking out on political issues sooner, telling her father, Scott Swift, in an emotionally charged scene that she felt the need to “be on the right side of history.”

In another scene, she expressed criticism of former President Donald Trump.

A group of Swift’s supporters – known as Swifties – mobilized during the 2024 election cycle, creating an online community of Swifties for Kamala shortly after Biden dropped out of the race and subsequently endorsed Harris.

The group, which Swift is not affiliated with and has thousands of followers on X, raised more than $122,000 during its two-hour kickoff call in August, which included Massachusetts Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren and singer Carole King.

“We believe Harris-Walz will fight for our rights and the rights of our loved ones and help make this country safer for everyone,” Carly Long, communications director for Swifties for Kamala, previously told CNN.

CNN’s Elizabeth Wagmeister and Kate Sullivan contributed to this report.