Former president and Republican nominee Donald Trump made headlines at the Republican National Convention by bringing out Hulk Hogan and Kid Rock, while Vice President Kamala Harris has garnered support from stars like Megan Thee Stallion, George Clooney, and Jennifer Aniston in her White House bid.
But the question remains: do celebrity endorsements truly impact election outcomes, or are they merely a form of publicity?
A recent study conducted by Harvard University’s Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, exclusively shared with sources, suggests that celebrities do indeed wield significant influence in promoting civic engagement.
Despite some polling data indicating that individuals claim not to be swayed by celebrity voices in politics, the Harvard study asserts that these voices hold substantial power in shaping public opinion.
The focus of Harvard’s research was on the role of celebrities in nonpartisan voter participation efforts, such as educating, mobilizing, and encouraging Americans to register to vote, rather than specific endorsements of candidates or parties.
The study highlighted the impact of social media as well as other mediums like television, documentaries, merchandising, and public service announcements in celebrity-led campaigns. Data from celebrity initiatives in the 2018, 2020, and 2022 election cycles were analyzed to draw these conclusions.
