A new poll reveals that most Americans are dismissing celebrity endorsements of political candidates, delivering a setback to Democrats who have increasingly leaned on Hollywood influencers to engage young voters and promote progressive messaging on social media. In the survey conducted by Rasmussen and released Monday, 75 percent of respondents indicated that a celebrity’s endorsement had little to no impact on their voting decisions in the recent presidential election, Breitbart News reported.
Interestingly, respondents who identify as liberal were more likely than their counterparts to ignore celebrity opinions, with 80 percent stating that a Hollywood endorsement did not influence their decisions during this election season. In contrast, among conservative respondents, that figure was 73 percent. The findings follow Kamala Harris’s defeat to President-elect Donald Trump, despite her efforts to court Hollywood celebrities and entertainment industry elites. Harris’s campaign invested tens of millions of dollars in pop concerts and promotional events, including a high-profile town hall livestream with Oprah Winfrey, in an attempt to bolster support.
The series of concerts held on the eve of the election in key swing states cost the Harris campaign nearly $20 million, contributing to the campaign’s debt after it exhausted over $1 billion raised from donors. Additionally, the livestream featuring Oprah reportedly had a production cost of $2.5 million. And in the end, not only did those concerts make no difference in the outcome, but President-elect Donald Trump won in historic fashion, bringing in more young people, women, and minorities than any GOP presidential contender in decades.
Many prominent stars endorsed Kamala Harris, including Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Cardi B, Katy Perry, George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Jennifer Lawrence, and Harrison Ford. In the final weeks of the campaign, there was a particularly strong display of celebrity support for Harris, creating the impression of a significant surge in popularity for her candidacy.
Meanwhile, a recent poll from Data for Progress, conducted in the critical battleground states of Pennsylvania and Michigan, indicates that Vice President Kamala Harris’s decision to campaign alongside former GOP Congresswoman Liz Cheney just days before the election may have dampened enthusiasm among key voters. In short, Cheney’s involvement appears to have negatively impacted Harris’s campaign in both states.
The analysis reveals that the economy and inflation were the two most critical issues for voters in both Pennsylvania and Michigan. These concerns played a decisive role in influencing voter preferences and ultimately shaped their choices at the ballot box. The pollster wrote:
Voters believed Donald Trump would address this core issue of the economy more than Harris. Voters also heard more from Trump on economic issues than they did from Harris, and considered Trump to be the “change candidate.” However, Trump’s own voters expect him to increase taxes on billionaires and big corporations, expand Medicare, and address kitchen table issues like corporate grocery price gouging and “junk fees.” Together, these findings provide clarity about Harris’ campaign decisions — and Trump’s mandates moving forward.
Disclaimer: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.