Pollster Throws Cold Water on Democrats Hyped About Taylor Swift Endorsement
The left has said a lot about their expected “blue wave” for the upcoming midterm elections. A quick perusal of Twitter will show many users with blue wave symbols by their user handles, indicating their support for the belief that they will regain congressional power.
Recently, singer Taylor Swift uncharacteristically broke her political silence. As she did so, she also endorsed Democrat Phil Bredesen running against Republican incumbent Sen. Marsha Blackburn in Tennessee.
She got a lot of support — as well as criticism — for the move. Naturally, some of her support came from the typically-left-leaning Hollywood and establishment media crowd.
Our democracy thanks you 🇺🇸@taylorswift13 #FlipTheHouse https://t.co/8ajJm72Bbi
— Molly Ringwald (@MollyRingwald) October 8, 2018
Tell 'em, girl https://t.co/FEUqDgQvEA
— Mara Gay (@MaraGay) October 8, 2018
Taylor Swift’s post mattered most, to me, where she got specific. She broke down @MarshaBlackburn’s record and why she can’t support her. She pushed her considerable audience not merely to register, but encouraged them to be educated voters. https://t.co/YoXMonA7Pb
— Jamil Smith جميل كريم (@JamilSmith) October 8, 2018
But if the left hoped Swift’s celerity endorsement would help the blue wave cause, their hopes have now been dashed. And that is all thanks to a fellow Democrat.
The Hill reported that Democrat pollster and Mellman Group CEO Mark Mellman said that despite what celebrities and others may think, their endorsements don’t usually have any kind of significant impact on elections. He shared this tidbit while speaking to Hill.TV’s Joe Concha.
“In general, celebrity endorsements aren’t that important. People like to have them.”
“They draw attention to candidates, that’s useful. They can draw money, that’s useful to candidates. But the reality is very few people are voting for one candidate over the other just because a celebrity is supporting them.”
This insight confirms what many on the right have claimed for years that “nobody cares what a celebrity thinks.” Apparently, when it comes to the ballot box, very few people actually do.
However, Mellman did provide another insight that might be disappointing to the right. There is a group that gives endorsements that do seem to matter to voters, and this group is largely left-leaning: newspapers.
“The Washington Post has a real impact on mayoral races, on other kinds of races, because their endorsement counts. People aren’t that engaged, aren’t that familiar with the candidates, and so when a newspaper that people trust endorses, it makes a difference.”
He did add a caveat to that statement, though. “In other places, people have a very hostile relationship to their local newspaper and that endorsement doesn’t necessarily mean a thing.”
Swift also endorsed another Democrat candidate in Tennessee’s midterm elections by announcing that she will also be voting for Jim Cooper in the House of Representatives race.
In her lengthy Instagram post, Swift explained why she was going public and why she was going to vote the way she planned. Of note, she wrote that, “Running for Senate in the state of Tennessee is a woman named Marsha Blackburn. As much as I have in the past and would like to continue voting for women in office, I cannot support Marsha Blackburn.”
“Her voting record in Congress appalls and terrifies me. She voted against equal pay for women. She voted against the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which attempts to protect women from domestic violence, stalking, and date rape.”
However, some were quick to point out that she was voting based on misinformation. It’s rather ironic considering in her post she also wrote, “Please, please educate yourself on the candidates running in your state.” This is perhaps a big reason why the public “doesn’t care what celebrities think.”
Users on social media and media outlets — such as PJ Media — were quick to point out her errors. In regards to the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, they wrote that Blackburn actually supported it in 2012. It was only when unrelated issues were added into it that she objected. She wanted the bill to remain focused on protecting women.
The Heritage Foundation noted that in regards to the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, “Perversely, it could actually put women, minorities, and workers who are vocal about their rights at a disadvantage if employers attempt to reduce legal risk by hiring fewer individuals likely to file suit against them or terminating those already in their employ.” Others noted additional problems, including that the act is a “trial lawyer pay-out.”
So in addition to Swift giving Democratic endorsements to her fan base of mostly 12-year-olds, she did so on verifiably false information. None of those things make for a ringing endorsement.
Also ironically, as the singer — who has publicly fought for musicians’ rights — was bashing Blackburn, a bill Swift had a hand in making was on its way to the President for signing. That bill, the Music Modernization act, helps songwriters get fair pay.
Proud to see @realDonaldTrump sign the Music Modernization Act into law! I worked tirelessly on this legislation joined by colleagues from both sides of the aisle and friends from the music industry to make sure songwriters get paid fair market value for their work. @JohnRich pic.twitter.com/EJBDnQl6Yr
— Marsha Blackburn (@VoteMarsha) October 11, 2018
So Swift, a songwriter herself, blew it on that front, too. The Tennessean reported on October 7 that Blackurn had “surged” to an eight-point lead over Bredesen. More “blue wave” hopes being dashed.
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