Trump and Biden Are Locked Into the General Election, Securing Celebrity Influence and Funds Are a Must

The upcoming U.S. election seems to be largely influenced by celebrity endorsements and fundraising. With undecided voters playing a crucial role in determining the outcome, the support of celebrities has become essential. As the competition intensifies early on, it’s also important to consider long-term planning as a variable.

During his Super Tuesday victory speech at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida on March 5th, former President Donald Trump exclaimed, “There are so many celebrities here that I can’t introduce them all. This place is filled with amazing and talented people standing before me.”

However, the only celebrity present was rapper Forgiato Blow. Foreign media pointed out that former President Trump was bluffing to show off his popularity and absorb undecided voters.

With Nikki Haley, the only competitor within the Republican Party, declaring her withdrawal from the race, former President Trump secured his presidential ticket. However, it remains uncertain whether the moderate conservative voters, who were Haley’s supporters, will turn to Trump. Not only did Haley not express support for Trump, but some Haley support groups were also conducting anti-Trump activities. A Haley support group called Primary Pivot even changed its name to ‘Haley Voters for Biden’ and declared a pro-Biden movement.

President Biden is also in a tough spot. To overcome the situation where the younger generation and Arabs have turned their backs due to his Middle East policy, he needs a public endorsement from Taylor Swift, a beloved national singer. According to a survey by the Morning Consult, a majority of Swift’s fans are under 40 and have a diverse spectrum, not distinguishing between Democrats and Republicans.

Swift has enormous influence and is loved beyond income, race, and political leanings. When she posted a message encouraging voter registration on social media last September, 35,000 people registered as voters in just one day. The proportion of voters under 40 who supported former President Trump in the 2020 U.S. election was 40%. Swift’s ability to unite voters under 40 on the election stage is bound to be tremendous. Swift, who supported President Biden in 2020, has not publicly endorsed anyone in this election yet.

Some studies suggest that famous people have an undeniable influence on elections. For instance, in the Democratic primary leading up to the 2008 U.S. election, Barack Obama reportedly gained an additional one million votes due to the support of famous MC Oprah Winfrey, defeating Hillary Clinton.

Additionally, the Biden campaign is reportedly considering actively utilizing former First Lady Michelle Obama in the election campaign. Mrs. Obama enjoys broad support from young and minority voters.

Former President Trump has secured the support of celebrities such as singer Kid Rock, actor Jon Voight (Angelina Jolie’s father), and singer Kanye West. He is showing off his closeness with them by inviting them to Mar-a-Lago for golf, among other things.

As the main competition heats up with eight months remaining before the election, securing campaign funds also emerges as a variable that could determine the election results.

In particular, former President Trump is facing legal risks and is expected to pay legal fees of $540 million before the election. As of January, the cash held by the Trump camp was $30 million, less than half of the fund held by the Biden campaign ($56 million).

Some high-dollar donors to former UN Ambassador Haley, including Citadel hedge fund CEO Ken Griffin, are expected to support former President Trump. Still, Reuters quoted anonymous donors as saying that the possibility does not seem high.

Billionaire Elon Musk and Tesla CEO, who recently met with former President Trump, also drew a line with the political scene through his SNS X (former Twitter), stating, “Let me be clear, I do not donate money to any U.S. presidential candidate.”

Who Wall Street will choose is also a matter of great interest. During the 2020 election, Wall Street executives donated over $74 million to Biden’s campaign, contributing to President Biden’s victory.