Are you ready for it? What a Taylor Swift endorsement means for Kamala Harris

Evan Agostini/AP by Emma Shortis, RMIT University As the US Presidential debate wrapped up on Wednesday, commentators and journalists regrouped and drew breath. But then, enter Taylor Swift. The pop superstar posted her endorsement of the Kamala Harris and Tim Walz ticket on social media. She followed it up by reminding the public to register to vote in her speech at the MTV Video Music Awards. & & & & & & View this post on Instagram & & & & & & & & & & & & A post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift) & People listened. Within 24 hours, more than 400,000 visitors hit the voter registration website. It’s always tempting to question the relevance of celebrity political endorsements. After all, endorsing products and brands is par for the course. So does a political nod from Taylor Swift really matter? It sure does. It matters particularly to the young white women who form large parts of her engaged fanbase. Mobilising these women could have a huge impact on who turns up to vote – and ultimately, who wins the tight presidential race. Why Taylor Swift? The Harris campaign has already received its fair share of celebrity advocacy,...