The power of celebrities and the interest groups that have been formed out of them is a topic that cannot be ignored this presidential election cycle.
After the presidential debate, Taylor Swift made a post on her Instagram account that she was endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for the 2024 presidential race. Immediately after, a grassroots organization called “Swifties for Kamala” showed up on the web.
“We’re harnessing the power of fandom to boost voter turnout, create impactful social media campaigns, and drive engagement in key battlegrounds,” said swifties4kamala. com.
An article on Glamour magazine’s website said the group gained 40,000 followers over night after launching social media profiles. They said the group exceeded their goal of raising $198,900 for Harris’ campaign, a nod to Swift’s 1989 album.
There have been political discussions across internet boards on the power of the “Swifties” during the election.
After Swift’s endorsement, Forbes said Vote.Gov had nearly 406,000 visitors.
The list of celebrities spotted at the Democratic National Convention is lengthy, including Pink, John Legend, Oprah, former first lady Michelle Obama, Common, Kerry Washington and Mindy Kaling, plus many more.
Pink took the stage with her daughter Willow to perform her song “What about us” at the DNC. “What about us, what about all the times you said you had the answers,” they sang, ending with a standing ovation from the roaring crowd.
Many celebrities made appearances or spoke at the Republican National Convention including Hulk Hogan, Amber Rose, Chris Jansen, and Jason Aldean.
“I have seen some great matchups in my time like Hulk Hogan and ohhh yeah, Randy the “Macho Man” Savage,” Hogan said at the RNC. “But you know something, I see the greatest tag team of my life standing upon us, getting ready to straighten this country out for all the real Americans.”
“Comics for Harris,” held a virtual rally held via Zoom bringing celebrities Tiffany Hadish, Whoopi Goldberg, Ken Jong, Jane Fonda, Ben Stiller, Ed Helms and many more to the online rally. They raised nearly half a million dollars for Harris’ campaign.
“Kamala Harris, the world is watching, and they are talking about you,” said Goldberg, comedian and host of ‘The View’ during the online rally.
The Chicago Sun Times said, “Harris herself is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., which along with Zeta Phi Beta, is among a group of historically Black sororities and fraternities commonly known as the “Divine Nine.”
” Presidents of “D9” organizations have launched an “unprecedented” voter mobilization campaign, which boast nearly 2 million members, said Chicago Sun.
Forbes said that rapper 50 Cent’s 2023 song “Many Men (Wish Death)” started trending after former President Donald Trump’s assassination attempt. The rapper’s response was to put Trump’s face on the cover of “Get Rich or Die Tryin” album.
A variety of Catholic based groups have sprung into action as well in support of former President Trump, said The National Catholic Reporter.
“Catholics for Trump” said in their mission statement, “the Catholics for Trump Coalition is committed to safeguarding the vital principles of religious liberty and the sanctity of life that President Donald J. Trump has ardently championed.”
Their website said that Trump has done more for Catholics than any administration in history, providing a list of the former president’s accomplishments.
Log Cabin Republicans said that they are the nation’s largest Republican organization dedicated to representing LGBT conservatives and allies. Their website gives a list of every Republican they are endorsing for the election season. The “Q” from LGBTQ is noticeably absent on their website.
“Our chapters work at the grassroots to build and expand a more inclusive Republican Party,” they said.
The Human Rights Campaign, which has over three million members, held a virtual event in July called “Out for Kamala Harris” that had over 25,000 LGBTQ+ in attendance. The event helped to raise over $300,000 for Harris’ campaign, with 1,500 attendees signing up to help get out the vote for Harris.
“Our strength reflects each individual’s personal commitment to helping the LGBTQ+ community in the ways they can, from marching to donating to voting,” said the HRC.
With the strength of the internet, and the power of social media, individuals have an even greater chance of finding groups that they believe in. The age of influence is undeniable this election season. Now it is up to you to choose your side, and rock the vote this 2024 election season.
