I have been interviewed on the impact of celebrity endorsements for USA Today and Newsweek lately, and I think that celebrities can’t deliver votes per se. It all depends on how a campaign team uses an endorsement strategically. In this case, it’s fair to say that Taylor Swift is a real superstar.

I also think that the timing right after the presidential debate is crucial here. The endorsement comes very much as a reaction to the debate and team Harris can use this to further boost their claim to victory last night.

I also think that the specifics of the endorsements matter. Swift gives a detailed reasoning based on specific issues, which add credibility to her case.

It also fits well into the overall effort of the Harris campaign to use previous (implicit) celebrity endorsements such as the one coming from Beyoncé or Charli XCX as a bridge to the youth, touting Harris as a new generation compared to Trump. In other words, the endorsement helps the Harris campaign continue to do something that they were already doing.

Winning a news cycle 57 days before election day is certainly a welcome development. I would try to use and maximize it, but in no way rely on it nor expect too much from it. Young voters are notoriously unreliable to turn out and vote. And just because people like Taylor Swift’s music, does not mean that she has political clout with them.