President Joe Biden is looking to revitalize his campaign with new, young energy as his disapproval ratings sit at historic lows and his likely opponent, former President Donald Trump, continues to soar in the Republican primaries.
One of Biden’s new targets to find a fresh new feel for his reelection bid could be an endorsement from one of the nation’s biggest stars — Taylor Swift.
Biden aides are drafting lists of possible donors, supporters, and endorsers, and they’ve drawn a blank space for celebrities such as Swift, who was the first artist to see a tour gross over $1 billion, with 4.35 million tickets sold across 60 tour dates in 2023.
Democratic allies and lawmakers are worried about Biden’s chances of reaching voting blocs trending away from the president, particularly young, black, and Latino voters. Biden won young voters in 2020 by 20 percentage points but now is tied with Trump, as those voters continue to be pessimistic over Biden’s age, support for Israel, and the economy.
To reach young voters, Biden’s campaign has focused heavily on social media, using videos from influencers and even those with a niche following to promote its message. The president recently visited the home of a man who had his federal loans canceled through Biden’s program, a focal point of Biden’s reelection campaign. The man’s son posted a video of Biden’s visit on TikTok, drawing millions of views.
The campaign is discussing opportunities for celebrities to promote the president on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, according to the New York Times. There are plans to hold a fundraiser with two former Democratic presidents, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, sources told NBC News. However, the end game is to receive an endorsement from Swift, who has become influential both on and off the stage on social media. Her recent appearances at NFL games have grown her fan base dramatically as well.
The campaign has seen this film before, and the outcomes have aided the Democratic cause. Swift endorsed Biden in 2020, and a single post on Instagram from the superstar last September led to 35,000 new voter registrations. Any post or effort from Swift to fundraise on Biden’s behalf could lead to millions of dollars funneling into the campaign. There have even been talks of sending Biden to one of her Eras Tour stops, which continues for the second leg on Feb. 7 in Tokyo, Japan.
Other Democratic figures see the benefit in rallying Swift to the cause. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) encouraged Swift to engage with Biden’s campaign while speaking to reporters last year following her get-out-the-vote Instagram post.
“Taylor Swift stands tall and unique,” the California governor said. “What she was able to accomplish just in getting young people activated to consider that they have a voice and that they should have a choice in the next election, I think, is profoundly powerful.”
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Vice President Kamala Harris is also working to rally young voters to her side, opting for nationwide tours instead of meeting with celebrities. She said in an interview last week that she thinks Generation Z is a “terrific generation.”
“It’s a lived experience for them,” Harris said. “They’ve only known the climate crisis. Most of them have endured active shooter drills between kindergarten and 12th grade. During the height of their reproductive years, they saw the court take away an essential right for them. And so traveling the country makes a difference to one, listen, but to remind people that they are being seen and that what they do matters, including that they vote.”
