Michelle Obama, backed by a star-studded group of celebrities, has endorsed Kamala Harris for the 2024 presidential race.
Fox Business reported that despite high-profile support, experts argue that Democrats face challenges in energizing disengaged voters.
Michelle Obama, the former first lady, and a host of celebrities have endorsed Kamala Harris’s 2024 presidential bid. Kerry Washington, Megan Rapinoe, Steph Curry, Shonda Rhimes, Chris Paul, Brettman Rock, and others have also joined this high-profile endorsement.
Former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama officially endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris last week, just days after President Joe Biden withdrew from the race. Biden ended his re-election campaign following a poor performance in a debate against Trump, which led to pressure from within the Democratic Party for a change.
The endorsement from Michelle Obama was publicized in a political advertisement released by the nonprofit When We All Vote. In the ad, she stressed the importance of voting on issues such as reproductive rights, the environment, and the economy, calling for action just 100 days before Election Day.
However, experts like Patrice Onwuka, director for the center of economic opportunity at the Independent Women’s Forum, remain skeptical about the impact of these endorsements.
Onwuka points out a significant issue for the Democrats: voter apathy. “There's an apathy problem that Democrats have to fight right now. They have to get all of those disenchanted and disengaged voters to actually care,” she said. Onwuka warns that simply replacing one candidate with another might not bring the desired effect.
They've removed one candidate that was very unpopular, and they've placed someone else as a placeholder in that role. That's not enough. That's not going to be enough to move the needle.
The endorsement from the Obamas aims to energize voters, but whether it will be enough to address the core issues remains a topic for debate.
Harris's campaign has been proactive, marking 100 days until the election with a "Weekend of Action." According to reports, her campaign raised $200 million in its first week, signaling strong financial support but not necessarily widespread voter enthusiasm.
Onwuka highlighted the skepticism among some voters, stating, “There are a lot of disengaged voters who say: we voted for the Democratic Party, for the left, for so long, and yet our communities are still struggling, our children are still in failing schools, and our communities are no safer." These are critical issues that celebrity endorsements may not be able to address comprehensively.
For some voters, past experiences create doubts about celebrity-driven political campaigns:
So, star-studded celebrity endorsements, they may carry some weight with a few folks, but for the folks who are thinking, ‘You know what? The celebrities lied to me before; they lied to me about Joe Biden for the past four years, they're going to lie again. I'm going to consider something different.
While Michelle Obama and numerous celebrities have endorsed Kamala Harris for the 2024 presidential election, there are concerns about the effectiveness of this strategy in tackling voter apathy. Despite the high-profile support and a surge in campaign funding, experts argue that Democrats need to do more to engage disenchanted voters who feel neglected by previous administrations.
