Kamala Harris receives the most important Philly endorsements: Questlove and Sheryl Lee Ralph. But what about Taylor Swift?
Philadelphia legends Questlove and Sheryl Lee Ralph have voiced their support for Kamala Harris as she seeks the Democratic presidential nomination.
![Philadelphia legends Questlove and Sheryl Lee Ralph have voiced their support for Kamala Harris as she seeks presidential office.](https://www.inquirer.com/resizer/SawzHAWPful1re8enZzE6rIgXxs=/760x507/smart/filters:format(webp)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/pmn/DWRSDAAGXVDTRGUL6TUBK44A7I.png)
Vice President Kamala Harris has earned the support of two figures consequential to Philadelphians. No, we’re not talking about Gov. Josh Shapiro or Mayor Cherelle L. Parker (though they’ve also extended their support). This is about Questlove and Sheryl Lee Ralph.
Following President Joe Biden’s endorsement of Harris for the Democratic presidential nomination, a number of celebrities — including Barbra Streisand, Charli XCX, and Cardi B — voiced their support for Harris.
But for some in Philly, Questlove and Ralph’s words hold extra weight.
In a lengthy Instagram post on Sunday, The Roots’ drummer voiced his “unequivocal support” for Harris.
“Some of us see this as a no-brainer,” he wrote. “I know the future I want for myself and my loved ones and the world. Kamala Harris for President 2024.”
Questlove, a local icon who turned his gig as a drummer into a spanning entrepreneurial effort — with seven managers, an Oscar, and a newly released book — has been a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump for years.
In his post he emphasized the need to support Harris to prevent Trump from winning.
“Do not throw the future away ‘just to prove a point’ the fatigue is setting in,” he wrote. “Time to power up and see this through.”
Harris also has the support of Sheryl Lee Ralph — an honorary Philadelphian who splits her time between Pennsylvania and California — who’s best known for her role as Barbara Howard in Abbott Elementary.
Ralph, who’s married to Pennsylvania Sen. Vincent Hughes, has been a longtime ally for Harris, supporting her at events and on the campaign trail. In May, the two teamed up for a campaign stop in Pennsylvania that focused on women’s freedoms.
In light of the news Harris would seek the Democratic nomination, Ralph shared a series of tweets expressing her excitement and encouraging donations to Harris’ campaign.
And while Ralph and Questlove are the most obvious celebrities with Philly ties to support Harris so far, the potential endorsement of a particular Berks County woman remains in question and lucrative.
Will Taylor Swift endorse Kamala Harris?
News outlets reported for months that the Biden campaign was vying for a Taylor Swift endorsement as a potential tide-shifter. The superstar’s endorsements in the past have been attributed to helping Democratic candidates, including Biden and Harris in 2020, and increasing voter registration numbers.
This election cycle, Swift has not endorsed anyone. But she has previously supported and elevated tweets from Harris.
In 2020, Swift responded “YES” to a post from Harris about accepting her nomination for vice president. Later that year, she said that she’d be supporting Harris by “yelling at the TV a lot” while watching the televised vice presidential debate.
On social media, some figures have already called for Swift’s endorsement. David Hogg — a survivor of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Fla., and founding member of March For Our Lives — posted a series of tweets calling for Swift to get involved.
“The Harris camp should be doing everything they can do to get @taylorswift13 [Taylor Swift] and all other massive artists endorsements asap,” he wrote. “We have got to bring back the youth vote.”
Following Biden’s endorsement of Harris for the nomination, an unaffiliated X (formerly Twitter) account called @Swifties4Kamala launched. Within 24 hours the account has nearly 19,000 followers. It’s described as a “coalition of Swifties ready to mobilize Taylor Swift fans to help get Democratic candidates elected up & down the ballot.”