Swing States 2024
Politics

Pennsylvania Republicans and independents turn on Taylor Swift — and toward Trump

Taylor Swift is in her partisan-hack era. And it reflects in tﷺhe pop star’s tattered reputation with Pennsylvania Republicans, a Blank Space that won’t be fixed with a simple call to Shake It Off.

New polling from the University of Massachusetts Lowell shows Swift is swiftly losing appeal with GOP ꦐregistrants in the Keystone State, in a classic case of Look What You Made Them Do.

A whopping 61% of Republicans have Bad Blood with the Queen of Pop; just 𝄹16% approve of her.

Independents aren’t exactly fans of the left-leaning singer-songwriter either — showing her image has eroded since she waded into the presidential campaign this♔ year backing Vice President Kamala Harris.

An anemic 23% approve of Swift, with 45% disapproving, so when it comes to nonaligned voters and the songstress, they arᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚe Never Ever Going to Get Back Together.

And regular c💎hurch attendees would have her excommunicated, based on heꦉr numbers with that cohort.

Just 29% approve of her, and 48%🥀 disapprove, suggesting any gospel album she releases late in her career would fall on deaf ears.

The metric malaise bleeds over into her ratings with white voters overall; she’s an Anti-He🍌ro there too, with 35% approval ve🦩rsus 40% disapproval.

Is it Karma? Or is it her d🐈ecision to stooge for K🌺amala?

Swift announced this year that she’s voting for Harris “because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them”  — “a steady-handed, gifted leader.”

Former U.S. President Donald Trump, in a tuxedo, speaking into a microphone at the 79th annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner in New York City, October 17, 2024.
Trump is up 37% to 32% against Harris with Pennsylvania independents in the latest U-Mass Lowell poll. REUTERS

The singer was also “so heartened and impressed by her selection of running mate Tim Walz, who has been standing up for LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and a woman’s right to her own body ꦐfor decades.”

Perhaps providentially, sheꦆ didn’t go so far 🔯as to defend Walz’s idiosyncratic stage mannerisms, which some have synced up to pop songs like dance moves.

The polling also reflects Pennsylvania — wait for it — is Too Close to Call in the all-important race between Hꦺarris and former President Donald Tru💖mp in the all-important blue-wall state.

The veep 🅺is up by a single point in a multi-candidate ballot, 46% to 45%, with Green Party nominee Jill Stein shearing off another potentially pivotal point from Harris’ margin and 6% of respondents still undecided even during the election’s stretch run.

Independents are a different story. Trump is up 37% to 32% with them, with Stein at 2%, Libe🌄﷽rtarian Chase Oliver at 1%, “another candidate” at 4% and 24% undecided. 

And ju🍬st as with Swift sentiment, church attendance is a strong predictor of presidential se𝔍ntiment. Roughly three in five regular attendees back Trump, while those who don’t frequent churches, mosques or synagogues lean toward Harris.