November 7th 2024.
As the 2024 US election drew to a close, the use of celebrity endorsements for political gain was at an all-time high. Vice President Kamala Harris was supported by big names such as Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and Anne Hathaway, while President Donald Trump had the backing of fierce Republican advocates like Elon Musk and podcast host Joe Rogan.
It's not uncommon for celebrities to get involved in politics, but Harris faced criticism for appearing out-of-touch and unrelatable as she stood alongside Hollywood heavyweights on stage. In fact, some even argued that these endorsements may have hurt her chances in crucial battleground states.
According to Rosalind Dixon, a professor of law and democracy expert at UNSW, the A-list support may have given the impression that the Democratic Party was disconnected from the struggles of ordinary Americans. "It [may have] given the impression that the Democrats are the 'A-list' party rather than the party of working people," she explained.
While these endorsements may have motivated younger voters, they may have also alienated middle-aged and older voters from economically struggling areas. "On balance, I think they probably got it right, but I would have pulled back a little bit," Dixon added. "I think it was perhaps a little bit too much towards the end."
Jared Mondschein from the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney also weighed in, stating that celebrity backers don't typically have a significant impact on campaigns. He believes that the influence of A-list endorsements may have been overestimated in this election. "Ultimately, I think the way that Trump and Harris engaged with their celebrity backers wasn't the most decisive issue in this election," he said. "The issues are far more fundamental than celebrities."
However, Mondschein does predict that political star power will continue to play a role in future US elections. "Candidates need to break through and they can't rely on the commercial media, cable news, or major newspapers to give them the sort of coverage they're hoping for," he added.
In the case of Donald Trump, Dixon believes that having someone like billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk on his side helped him gain trust from voters on economic matters. "Those voters who turned away from Biden and Harris towards Trump were looking for big change on the economy," she said. "I think it helped him, but only a modest amount."
While it's still too early to determine the true impact of celebrity endorsements on the 2024 US election, one thing is for sure: they will continue to be a prominent feature in future campaigns. Stay updated on all the latest news, sports, politics, and weather with the 9News app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
