Weeks ago, Chappell Roan was widely ridiculed for her refusal to endorse Kamala Harris. Roan raised valid concerns over the Biden-Harris administration, the demands of stardom and the need for accountability within both parties. The backlash was widespread, so much so that Roan herself had to clarify she would still be voting for Harris, despite her refusal to endorse.
That backlash was ludicrous. There was an unfounded implication that a rising pop star's inability to enter a political sphere would have genuine impacts on the election. Could the artist who coined phrases such as “H-O-T T-O G-O, you can take me hot to go” and “get it hot like Papa John” really play such an integral role in a struggling presidential campaign? Democrats surely seemed to think so.
Why is the Democratic Party so intent on clinging to stardom as a method of relatability, as if disingenuous pop culture references will resonate with voters? Outside of Roan, Kamala Harris ran an entire portion of her campaign touting herself as “brat,” a reference to the critically-acclaimed album released by Charli xcx earlier this year. Don't get me wrong, I loved “Brat.” As an album. Not as a presidential talking point. Why would an album centered around the insecurities behind a celebrity's party girl persona earn Harris voters?
I respect Harris' acknowledgement of the importance of connecting with younger voters, but these strategies were ultimately just infantilizing. Young people on both sides of the political spectrum have genuine concerns and ideologies that influence their voting behaviors. The suggestion that merely associating yourself with pop icons would get voters to “Pokemon Go” to the polls, as Hillary Clinton suggested, is reductive and frustrating.
This situation isn't unique to Chappell Roan and Charli xcx — Democrats have historically relied on celebrity endorsements, to an absurd extent. This past election they received endorsements from celebrities ranging from Taylor Swift to Beyonce to Bruce Springsteen to Oprah. These celebrities hail from a variety of backgrounds, but the one thing they all have in common? They're all billionaires.
In an election where Democrats overwhelmingly lost the working class vote, it seems almost obvious that the presence of upper class celebrities who are completely removed from modern society didn't help them.
With gas, food and housing costs pushing a surge in inflation, it is not surprising that celebrities traveling around to these rallies in private jets — contributing to carbon emissions, the very thing Democrats claim to want to prevent — didn't propel the Democrats to victory.
Working class voters are not concerned with the intersection of artistry and politics. While millions of people in this country suffer from economic hardships and financial insecurity, the false promises made by Donald Trump did more for voters than any post by Taylor Swift.
That's not to say that celebrities can't make positive impacts in an election cycle. Vote.org recorded more than 35,000 registrations in the day following Swift's post endorsing Kamala Harris. Regardless, this isn't a strategy Democrats can continue to rely on.
