38 Comments
Sep 24·edited Sep 24

Some other things to note when dealing with age groups over time: they change. Only those who were 18 to 21 in 2016 are still in this cohort. Everyone else has aged out of it. And in the current group there will be many first time voters.

Here's a real sobering thought: the kids who survived the Sandy Hook shooting will be voting in their first presidential election this year.

Expand full comment

I think about the quote a lot that “sandy hook was the end of the gun control debate - if a class of dead kindergarteners won’t move congress, nothing will” - it’s sad and sobering and, I always thought it was true. But I recently read an article that convinced me otherwise. What it will take is a mass shooting of congress. I don’t wish this, but given our culture it seems inevitable. Only then will their self serving nature force them to pass real gun reform.

Expand full comment

Sadly, it's already happened once.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1954_United_States_Capitol_shooting

Expand full comment

Thank you as I have never heard this story….

Expand full comment

Wouldn’t that be a turn up for the books if after all the Republicans misogyny we blew them out of the water with the female vote!

Expand full comment

Yes, it would be a beautiful example of ironic justice. Young women just need to turn out and vote....and I am convinced they will.

Expand full comment

I really think they will!

Expand full comment
founding

Even better that he's hopefully gonna lose to a black women. He's never gonna live that down.

Expand full comment

Not to mention the fact that he will be battling the courts for at least four more years.

Expand full comment
founding

Sadly the Supremes are going to shield him from everything. I'm so disappointed there. Meek Garland should have had charges drawn up and an indictment on the first week of his term.

Expand full comment

Agree totally. These Justice department folks tout their thoroughness but they needed to acknowledge the reality of time ticking!! How did we land here?!

Expand full comment

Too true. But just think how small he will feel knowing half of America, the women, want nothing to do with him. His point is always that women shouldn’t be allowed to make any choices for themselves. And he also thinks we are so star struck by him he can get away with anything. Wrong again!

Expand full comment

And how anyone can still be star struck by that guy is amazing to me. He's just an awful human being.

Expand full comment

I have real trouble seeing him as he is now—a slow-witted old man driving round a golf course, or babbling incoherently on stage—holding any attraction for anyone except with his messages of hate. I think initially his TV stardom and seemingly deep pockets made people want to emulate him. Nowadays it’s his goodie supporters showing up at the NY courtroom all dressed alike. If it weren’t so serious, I would die laughing at their stupidity!

Expand full comment

This analysis is excellent, but your article’s title is awful. “Taylor Swift vote”? How about “reproductive rights vote”?

Expand full comment

Because a lot of people voting on reproductive rights are outside that cohort?

Expand full comment

Has everyone seen this commercial for Kamala with Sam Elliott's voiceover? I love it, swear words and all!!

https://youtu.be/COTJMJRFX2w

Expand full comment
founding

Be a man and vote for a woman!

Expand full comment

This is my favorite line as well. "...because if it is the woman thing it is time to get over that"

Expand full comment

Love it! Thanks for posting the link!!

Expand full comment

Excellent analysis and hopeful!!

Expand full comment

I joke that Harris could clinch the election if Taylor Swift simply said if Harris is elected, she would release a new album. If Trump is elected, she won't release one until he is out of office. It would be a landslide election for Harris

Expand full comment
founding

His PA speech last night was increasingly desperate. He's losing it quickly. I don't think there is anything he won't promise at this point. Soon he's going to promise men longer erections if he gets in, and if he doesn't, there will be no more sex.

Expand full comment
Sep 24·edited Sep 24

He's still whining about how Jimmy Kimmel zinged him at the Oscars and, of course, totally lied about what happened. (Oh, and I'm not related to Jimmy. :) )

Expand full comment
founding

My daughter is 22 and follows politics She was voting Harris before the Swift endorsement , but it may influence some of her less political friends to register and vote democratic

Expand full comment

I needed this today after some recent polling news. The youth will save us!

Expand full comment

Chris please explain the end "Sorry, Sorry happy face tears emojis."

Expand full comment

Trump is scared of Taylor Swift, and he should be. In a close election, it is probable that the one or two hundred thousand votes TS may bring in for KH would be game-changing. Let's hope.

Expand full comment

Donald Trump on Monday night told women that he is their “protector” and that they will “no longer be thinking about abortion” if he wins in November.

He has spoken! /s

Expand full comment

This post made me curious about stats re youth voter participation. Tufts' "Circle" site has some good data. In general, youth participation has increased over the last decade. Perhaps most relevant now is that 50% of young voters showed up in 2020 compared to 36% in 2016. The site notes a strong correlation between the extent to which laws facilitate voting and participation. That correlation provides another incentive for MAGA world to chill voting however they can.

Expand full comment

I understand the larger point, but now you’ve gotten me interested in a few data points that you may have mentioned— but if so I missed them.

When youth vote shifted toward Harris from biden— what were the shift numbers by gender? In other words, how many points did the bro vote and the swift vote shift to Harris?

And what are the shifts of those gender votes between 2016, 2020, and now (acc to this poll)?

Expand full comment
founding

"Swift vote vs the Bro vote" - I love it!!!

Expand full comment

Well at least you are familiar with the “All to well” phrase. ;-)

Expand full comment

I'm not. What's it about?

Expand full comment

LOL it’s the title of one of Taylor Swifts songs.

Expand full comment

Assumed it was something like that but I'm not in her audience.

Expand full comment

It's ok. ;-)

Expand full comment