A recent poll conducted by Monmouth University reveals that a majority of people (68%) approve of Taylor Swift encouraging her fans to vote in the upcoming presidential election. This comes as good news for democracy, especially considering that only 39% of those polled had a favorable opinion of Swift. In fact, 43% of respondents had no opinion of her, and 65% claimed they were not fans of the popstar.
What makes this even more significant is the backdrop of attacks against Swift, which have reached a level of right-wing hysteria typically reserved for women in politics. Influencers aligned with the MAGA movement, as well as media outlets like Fox News, have propagated various conspiracy theories suggesting that Swift is being used by intelligence agencies to manipulate voters in favor of President Joe Biden’s reelection. Despite these conspiracy theories, the majority of people polled still support Swift’s efforts to encourage voter registration.
The recent surge in attacks against Swift can be traced back to September, when she successfully led a campaign to get her fans to register to vote. Even the United States Pentagon felt compelled to address these baseless conspiracy theories on two separate occasions in recent weeks. However, the poll results show that while Swift’s voter registration efforts are supported by the majority, there are differences in approval among political parties. Republicans are less enthusiastic (42%) about increased voter participation compared to Democrats (88%) and independents (71%).
Interestingly, the poll also found that around 18% of respondents believe in vague conspiracy theories surrounding Swift and her efforts to promote voting in order to help Biden win. Of those who believe in these conspiracy theories, 71% identify with or lean toward the Republican Party, and 83% indicate they are likely to support Donald Trump in the fall. Additionally, 73% of those who believe in the Swift conspiracy also believe that the outcome of the 2020 election was fraudulent.
These findings highlight the existence of a certain segment of the voting population that subscribes to MAGA-attitudes and the “Stop the Steal” campaign. This group is willing to believe a range of conspiracy theories, from Hillary Clinton running a secret sex trafficking ring to the idea that Donald Trump is the solution to America’s problems, despite his corruption.
Overall, the Monmouth University poll offers a glimmer of hope for democracy, as a majority of people support Taylor Swift’s efforts to encourage voter registration. However, it also sheds light on the polarization within the political landscape, with Republicans showing less enthusiasm for increased voter participation and a significant portion believing in baseless conspiracy theories.
