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Whether they should or shouldn’t be influential in politics, celebrities often find themselves at the forefront of important conversations, especially in election years. The biggest and most popular stars are often applauded for leveraging their platforms to influence public opinion and drive change.
Taylor Swift stayed out of politics for a long time, but her tune has changed. Now, following a move by the superstar to get out the vote, one of the most prominent Democrats in the country is praising the singer for her efforts.
California governor Gavin Newsom headed to Simi Valley earlier this week to appear via media at the Republican’s latest debate. While speaking with TMZ, the Democratic politician and likely one-day presidential candidate lauded Swift’s influence, stating that it could play a significant role in the upcoming 2024 presidential election.
“Taylor Swift stands tall and unique,” remarked Governor Newsom in an interview with the celebrity-focused outlet. “What she was able to accomplish in getting young people activated to consider that they have a voice and they should have a voice in the next election, I think it’s profoundly powerful.”
Newsom went on to further praise the “Anti-Hero” chart-topper, adding, “I think she’s using her celebrity for good.”
Newsom is referring to Swift’s recent push to get her millions of Instagram followers to sign up to vote. On National Voter Registration Day, the Grammy winner took to her social media account to urge her fans, affectionately known as Swifities, to register to take part in the upcoming election. To do so, she shared a link to Vote.org, a non-profit voting registration platform and organization she has partnered with in the past.
“I’ve been so lucky to see so many of you guys at my U.S. shows recently,” Swift’s statement read. “I’ve heard you raise your voices, and I know how powerful they are. Make sure you’re ready to use them in our elections this year!” It was a simple message, but one that resulted in a massive spike in visits to the website. The Wrap reports that the organization saw a more than 1,200% jump in traffic following her post.
During the short chat with TMZ, Newsom also noted that not everyone shares this sentiment of Swift’s move to get young people to take part in the democratic process. “Republicans are critical of her encouraging people to register to vote,” he stated, adding, “which says everything you need to know about the voter suppression going on in the Republican party.”
Swift’s engagement in the political space is not a recent development. In recent years, she has become increasingly vocal about her political beliefs, endorsing candidates and advocating for issues that matter to her. For the first decade or so of her career, she steered clear of such topics, but eventually she felt the need to speak up, and since then has supported a handful of Democrat candidates.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2023/09/28/california-governor-gavin-newsom-calls-taylor-swifts-political-impact-profoundly-powerful/