Florida
“People care about her. People understand the importance of her. She is a youth icon,” said one Florida Democrat.
That Florida Democrats are pinning their hopes on Taylor Swift speaks volumes of the state of the party. | Toru Hanai/AP
By Kimberly Leonard
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TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Florida Democrats don’t know why Taylor Swift is naming an upcoming song on her new album “Florida!!!” or the reason she chose to hold three concerts in Miami less than a month before the November elections.
But their excitement around the news is less about “why?” and more about leveraging Swift’s celebrity status to fill the blank space for beleaguered voters tired of losing to Republicans.
“It’s so close to the election, and we hope that there’s a message included to encourage folks, especially her fans, to go vote,” said Democratic Rep. Maxwell Frost, the first Gen Z member of Congress. “We need the help.”
Democrats are planning voter registration drives at her concerts and will hold listening sessions and karaoke parties of her music as part of “A Day of Action (Taylor’s Version)” when her new album is released in April. They’re even going to reach out directly to Swift in the hopes that she’ll use her Miami concerts — and unfathomably gigantic platform — to talk about issues affecting the rights of young people in Florida.
Jayden D’Onofrio, who chairs the Florida Democratic Party’s Youth Council, said party members would be at all Swift’s concerts to ensure they’re engaging young people. D’Onofrio, who also leads the Florida Future Leaders PAC geared toward high school and college students, added: “People care about her. People understand the importance of her. She is a youth icon.”
That Florida Democrats are pinning their hopes on a mega star like Swift speaks volumes of the state of the party. The once reliable swing state now leans Republican, with the GOP holding supermajorities in the state Legislature as well as every position in the Cabinet. Republicans outnumber Democrats in voter registration numbers by almost 780,000 voters and former President Donald Trump won Florida in 2016 and 2020.
There have been a few bright spots for Florida Democrats recently. Initiatives to protect abortion rights and legalize recreational cannabis have enough signatures to be on the November ballot, if the Florida Supreme Court approves. Democrat Donna Deegan in May also defeated a Republican to become the first female mayor in Jacksonville, Florida’s largest city.
But Swift’s new song and Miami concerts are filling Democrats with palpable excitement.
“I’m thrilled to welcome Taylor Swift back to Florida!!! this October as we paint the town blue in 2024,” said former Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell in a statement. Mucarsel-Powell is running for the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent GOP Sen. Rick Scott.
Democrats are also organizing voting efforts in Florida around Super Bowl Sunday events as Travis Kelce, Swift’s boyfriend and Kansas City Chiefs tight end, will be playing in the big game.
The political world has been abuzz about Swift’s potential involvement in the presidential election ever since The New York Times reported that the Biden campaign hopes to get her endorsement.
Swift endorsed Biden in 2020 and has weighed in on state politics, including in her childhood home state of Tennessee, where she endorsed Democratic senatorial candidate Phil Bredesen, who lost to GOP Sen. Marsha Blackburn.
Swift herself hasn’t endorsed anyone in the 2024 election cycle and her representative didn’t respond to questions about her plans — but just the prospect of her urging legions of fans to side with Biden is propelling far-right conspiracy theories. The Pentagon was recently forced to deny wild accusations that they’re using her as a “psy-op” to influence people’s views.
Asked about the possibility of Swift getting involved in the forthcoming election, Miami Young Republicans president Tony Figueroa called it a “usual campaign tactic” for Democrats to lean on “star power” for votes. He predicted young voters would be moved more by the economy rather than cultural issues.
“People can endorse who they want to endorse,” he said. “I don’t think it’s going to be like Taylor Swift, this juggernaut. What does she know about politics? … We have seen this White House try to use influencers to get people excited about Biden and it just hasn’t worked.”
But Florida Democrats remain hopeful. Congressional candidate and Swift fan Sabrina Bousbar, 26, who is running for the Democratic nomination against four contenders to become the first woman Gen Z member of Congress, called Swift a “baddie” and said she was excited she’d used her stardom to talk about women’s empowerment and LGBTQ+ rights.
State Rep. Fentrice Driskell, the Democratic House minority leader, echoed the enthusiasm.
“Florida loves Taylor Swift,” she said. “I love Taylor Swift, and any attention or light that she could shed on the challenges we face here in Florida would be welcome.”
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