The Gen Z pop star launched Harris’ campaign. Puerto Rican musicians might just get it over the finish line

CNN
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In September, Latin music star Nicky Jam appeared on stage with Donald Trump. Wearing a red MAGA hat, the reggaeton singer told a rally in Las Vegas that he supports the former president.

On Tuesday, he withdrew his endorsement — joining a chorus of well-known Puerto Ricans who condemned comments made by a comedian at a Trump rally in New York City earlier this week, in which he attacked the US island territory.

“Puerto Rico must be respected,” Nicky Jam told his 43 million Instagram followers.

While Jam did not endorse Harris in his post, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony, reggaeton star Don Omar, “Despacito” singer Luis Fonsi and international superstar Bad Bunny are among the celebrities of Puerto Rican descent who have shown their support for Harris. Vice President or her platform since Sunday. Lopez is also participating in a rally alongside Harris in Las Vegas on Thursday.

Harris campaign officials were always planning star-studded events on the sidelines of the presidential election. But the influx of Latino artists denouncing Trump and showing up for Harris as voting had already begun was an October surprise the campaign didn’t expect.

Together, these stars have 390 million global followers on Instagram alone – more than the population of the United States.

Experts say that in a race so tight, celebrity endorsement could move the needle, especially among the demographic that polls have shown Trump closing the gap with Harris — Latino men — and especially at a time when both campaigns are vying for Puerto Ricanism. Voting in battleground Pennsylvania, where a large portion of Latino voters is located.

The Trump campaign sought to distance itself from Hinchcliffe, with campaign spokeswoman Danielle Alvarez saying in a statement after the rally: “This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign.”

The support from Bad Bunny — born Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio — came as a surprise to Harris’ team, according to a campaign official.

Harris campaign officials had been in talks with Bad Bunny’s team and were cautiously optimistic that he would support the vice president’s plans for Puerto Rico, according to a source familiar with the discussions, but they did not expect him to weigh in Sunday, sharing on social media. Media releases video of Harris’ plans for the island.

Bad Bunny has not generally commented on politics. A representative for the star told CNN that reposting Harris’ video on Instagram “was not an endorsement” but that it “supports” the vice president because Benito’s “political focus has always been on Puerto Rico.”

For months, a Bad Bunny endorsement has been at the top of Harris’ campaign wish list, because of his influence on young Latino male voters, according to another source familiar with the campaign’s Hollywood outreach.

“They are cultural auditors,” said a source close to the campaign, adding that the work of Latino artists gets coverage in Spanish media and helps open discussions among the Latino community.

Another source described Latino celebrities endorsing Harris as another way for the campaign to break through among Latinos at a time when polls indicate waning enthusiasm.

Matt Barreto, a Harris pollster who focuses on Latino voters, said the endorsement could help mobilize voters.

“Any type of celebrity, influencer, or famous person has the ability to attract attention and attract eyeballs,” Barretto said. “That in itself is a big positive. These are people who have been recognized. To some extent, they are trusted.”

While only celebrities get name recognition, Barreto says voters need a reason to listen to them. That’s one reason Sunday’s inflammatory comments about Puerto Rico had a snowball effect that reached Latinos across the country, he said.

“It was all natural, and it helped amplify what the average person on the street was feeling,” he said.

“This is a very unique moment that will be talked about post-campaign and post-election for a long time,” he added. “It is much more powerful than in the Latino community, in any community, when you have celebrities, people of influence, and everyday people all reacting in real time similarly to a crime like this.”

One Hollywood political strategist, who has been working with many celebrities this election cycle, agrees that authenticity is key, especially as celebrity reach evolves.

“A few years ago, celebrities took a more and more approach. This is not it. You have to focus on the right people in the right places and align people with the right issues and the right message,” the strategist said. “Followers have to believe it.”

Since Harris’ campaign began stamping Charli XCX’s lime green approval, her Hollywood influence has been in the spotlight.

The song “Kamala IS brat” by the British pop star support She pushed Harris into Gen Z territory at the start of her campaign this summer, validating her candidacy among legions of young voters and turning the vice president into a pop culture icon.

Charli

Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Harris in September, moments after the presidential debate, also came as a surprise to the vice president’s campaign. Both Harris and Trump quickly pounced on the fan base with “Swiftie,” demonstrating the pop star’s massive reach: Harris’ campaign created Harris-Walz friendship bracelets inspired by the singer, while Trump’s campaign released T-shirts inspired by the Eras tour.

As Election Day approaches, Harris’ campaign is bringing in more celebrities to rally people to vote, including a long-awaited appearance by Beyoncé last week.

“We will use all the tools at our disposal,” a senior campaign official previously told CNN.

Trump later mocked his opponent for having a “dance party with Beyoncé,” suggesting that Harris was more focused on celebrities than average Americans.

But the former president is also rallying celebrity support during this critical time. On Wednesday night, Packers quarterback Brett Favre returned to Green Bay, Wisconsin, to join Trump’s final rally. Television psychologist Dr. Phil McGraw delivered remarks at Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, as did tech mogul Elon Musk.

As CNN previously reported, a recent Harvard study found that celebrity endorsements play an influential role in promoting civic engagement.

As voters take to the polls, a wide range of stars have recently endorsed them. Some were expected, like Oscar winner and longtime environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio, who spoke about Harris’ commitment to climate change And he said And Trump “continues to deny the facts.” Others were more surprising, such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, the former Republican governor of California who declared his support for Harris, calling Trump “unpatriotic.”

“I don’t really do endorsements. I’m not shy about sharing my opinions, but I hate politics and don’t trust most politicians,” Schwarzenegger wrote Wednesday on Channel X. “I will always be an American before I’m a Republican.”

Representatives for Schwarzenegger did not respond to CNN’s request for comment on whether his post came naturally or was coordinated with the Harris campaign.

One celebrity publicist told CNN that, as in past elections, many of his left-leaning clients were forced to take a stand against Trump, even more so than to show support for another candidate.

A lot of it was driven by Trump. When it comes down to it, do you all want Trump to be president or not? “This is very motivating,” the publicist said. “The Trump phenomenon is much stronger as an organizer than most things.”

But on the other side of the party, Trump has more celebrity public supporters than ever before.

His longtime fans in Hollywood include Jon Voight, Kelsey Grammer, and Roseanne Barr, and country singers like Jason Aldean and John Rich also support him. But this year, actors including Dennis Quaid, Zachary Levi and Mel Gibson have publicly endorsed Trump, as have athletes such as Mike Tyson, the Kansas City Chiefs’ Harrison Butker and Astronaut. Buzz Aldrin.

Trump has been unique in his multi-faceted approach to celebrities, targeting hugely popular social media stars and podcasters, who arguably wield more influence than most Hollywood celebrities. His hour-and-a-half live broadcast with 24-year-old Aden Ross attracted millions of viewers more than any traditional news network, as did his recent conversation with anchor Joe Rogan, which has currently racked up more than 40 million views.

“I’m not going to go overboard with celebrity rankings, but in very close elections in certain states and districts where fewer than 500 voters are going to win the election, you want to play all your cards,” the Hollywood political strategist said.