Taylor Swift fans are an undeniable force: Just look at the local economies they’ve invigorated or the earthquake-level seismic activity they've caused. Now a coalition of “Swifties for Kamala” is turning its energy toward electing Vice President Kamala Harris to the presidency in November. The coalition’s August 27 Zoom kick-off call featured guests like Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Rep. Becca Balint (D-VT), and music legend Carole King. According to the organizers, the call, which lasted about two hours, had more than 34,000 attendees and raised over $122,000.
Notably missing? A word from Taylor Swift herself — or any calls from organizers or speakers to extract an endorsement from their queen. Speculation abounds as to whether Swift will endorse the Harris-Walz ticket, though Swift did endorse the Biden-Harris ticket in 2020, saying she believed their administration would give America “a chance to start the healing process it so desperately needs.” Throughout the Swifties for Kamala call, organizers reiterated several times that their organization was not directly affiliated with Swift, and none of the speakers or organizers called for an endorsement from Swift during the call.
The first guest on the Swifties for Kamala Zoom was Sen. Warren, who spoke with Teen Vogue ahead of the call. When asked about Swift endorsing the Harris-Walz ticket, Sen. Warren says, “Oh, I hope she does. But her very existence makes a pro-Kamala statement. She is the reminder that no one has to put up with bullying and that we can be joyful and powerful at the same time. Joyful and powerful, that’s Kamala Harris.”
Even though Swift hasn’t spoken out (yet), she did made headlines after Donald Trump posted an AI-generated endorsement of his own campaign featuring the pop star.
“This movement really started for me in a moment of anxiety,” organizer Emerald Medrano said in the opening minutes of the Zoom, a shiny “47” flashing on his hand, an ode to how Harris would be the 47th president if elected and to the ritual of Swiftie concertgoers writing “13” on their hands — one of multiple Swift Easter eggs dropped during the call. “And for me, Kamala is really a relaxing thought as a candidate…. As a Latinx queer and transgender person in this country, she makes me feel safe. She makes me feel that I will be able to live for the hope of it all with all the colors of my identity. To me, she is a fearless leader.”
In Sen. Warren's view, Swifties have a chance to be an unstoppable political force because of the very characteristics that define their fandom. “Swifties are resilient. They know how to take on bullies. They are joyful,” she explains. “The friendship bracelets say it all. They are inclusive and bring people in and recognize the strength of reaching out and supporting each other. And ultimately, that’s how a powerful, successful campaign works.” (Sen. Warren also shared that her favorite Swift song is “Karma” and that she loves the entire Midnights album.)
The Swifties for Kamala Zoom cycled quickly through a lineup of speakers. The call featured a focus on voter registration, getting out the vote by volunteering and talking to friends about their voting plans, and actually getting out there on Election Day. In true Swiftie fashion, there was, of course, a merch drop, including tote bags, shirts, and stickers featuring the slogan “In my voting era.” There was even a chance to win Eras Tour tickets, through Fan Out, by checking your voter registration and helping others check theirs.
A Discord channel was shared for attendees to join, and organizers say more than 2,000 people did so. A brief look into the Discord channel showed thousands of messages from people sharing their favorite Swift songs, why they wanted to get involved in the election, and what their voting plans are.
The cultural impact of Swifties can’t be denied, but the Swifties for Kamala call asks a new question: Can that power be translated to politics? As the Zoom ended and the donations were tallied, organizers said more than $122,000 had been raised through Swifties for Kamala’s ActBlue link (which, of course, featured donation options like $13 and $19.89).
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