On November 5, American citizens with the right to vote are called to elect the new president of the United States. The close race between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris for the White House is also being played out on the political terrainendorsement celebrities, capable of influencing public opinion and becoming, at least symbolically, powerful testimonials for the candidates.
Kamala Harris Supporters
When it comes to star approval, it seems that Kamala Harris has the edge. In fact, there are many famous actors and other well-known personalities from the entertainment world who have lined up in her favor.
Among these VIPs, for example, stand out Robert De Niro and Steve Buscemi, protagonists of the online event ‘Paisans for Kamala’, organized by the Italian-American community to raise funds for Harris’ presidential campaign. Other prominent Hollywood figures are also on Harris’ side: George ClooneyJulia Roberts, Barbra Streisand, Jane Fonda, just to name a few.
Supporters of the Democratic candidate also include artists such as BeyoncéJohn Legend, Katy Perry and Ben Stiller, as well as a large segment of the African-American community, including director Spike Lee, producer Shonda Rhimes and actress Viola Davis.
Taylor Swift
Also backing Harris is Taylor Swift, whose influence is so strong that it is said she can even affect the gross domestic product of the United States. As a result, the artist is also thought to have a strong influence on the political votes of her fans.
The billionaire pop star showed her support for Harris in an Instagram post minutes after the end of a debate between the Democratic candidate and her Republican rival, with a photo of her holding her cat. She was specifically referring to a criticism by Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance that the country is run by “a bunch of miserable, childless cat ladies.” In response to Swift’s endorsement, Trump wrote in capital letters on the social network Truth that he hates her, stirring up yet another storm of criticism and controversy.
In favor of Trump
On the other hand, Donald Trump can also count on some significant endorsements. The most significant support comes from Elon Muskwhom the Republican candidate has already indicated as a possible head of a Commission on Government Efficiency in the event of victory.
In the world of sport, the billionaire has received expressions of esteem and sympathy from the former boxer Mike Tyson. Former wrestler Hulk Hogan attended the Republican National Convention by ripping off his shirt to reveal another T-shirt in favor of the Trump-Vance campaign, calling Trump his hero and the best president of the United States. Kid Rock adapted his song ‘American Bad Ass’ to include references to the tycoon. Actress Roseanne Barr, a longtime Trump supporter, criticized Mark Cuban’s support for Harris-Walz, calling Harris’ choice “another reason why he’s a disaster.” Rapper Azealia Banks also said she would vote for Donald Trump in November at a rally in Florida over the summer. Actor Jon Voight, known for defending Trump on multiple occasions, has continued to support him. Additionally, 50 Cent’s song ‘Many Men (Wish Death)’ went viral following an assassination attempt on Trump last year; The rapper then shared an image featuring Trump’s face on the cover of his album ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin’.
Other celebrities have supported Trump in the past, but have yet to openly reveal their support for the upcoming November election: one such figure is Scott Baio, Fonzie’s cousin Chuchi Arcola in ‘Happy Days.’
Reflection
However, a fundamental question remains: does celebrity endorsement really matter so much in terms of election results? The example of the 2016 election, with Bruce Springsteen openly supporting Hillary Clinton, would seem to suggest a negative answer, given that, despite his support, Clinton lost to Trump, reversing the predictions.