Taylor Swift is the one endorsement that both sides of the political spectrum are dreaming of as the race for president heads to the crucial Labor Day milestone.

Before exiting the campaign, President Joe Biden and his team were busy sending signals about wanting the backing of the pop superstar.

People close to the Kamala Harris campaign have even suggested that Swift and Beyoncé could perform at the Democratic National Convention this week.

Now, Republican candidate Donald Trump is making a play for the Swift vote. However, he is going about it in a very unique way.

Donald Trump’s Taylor Swift gamble

Mr. Trump shared several fake images of so-called “Swifties for Trump” on Truth Social with the caption, “I accept!” It is unclear if the former president knew the images were AI-generated.

The Trump campaign and its allies have been pushing for days the idea that there are “Swifties for Trump.” However, there is no concrete proof that such a movement even exists.

Experts say Swift’s fans tend to be young and liberal. That has not stopped Trump from targeting them in recent weeks. Some say that the move reeks of desperation because the race has shifted after Biden left.

Ms Harris is now leading in several battleground states where her predecessor was behind. Moreover, with the DNC this week, the California native could get an extra boost in the polls.

Trump could also be trying to manufacture a level of support that does not really exist so that Taylor Swift stays neutral in the race.

The singer has shown in the past that her political ideas do not necessarily align with those being endorsed by Trump and his acolytes.

In May 2020, Swift tweeted directly at Trump and wrote: “After stoking the fires of white supremacy and racism your entire presidency, you have the nerve to feign moral superiority before threatening violence? ‘When the looting starts, the shooting starts’??? We will vote you out in November. @realdonaldtrump”

Fake endorsement backfires

That is the reason why many observers say posting fake endorsements is a tactic that will backfire. When it comes to Swift, Trump is not really consistent.

He previously told other Republicans about a possible Swift endorsement for Biden: “Why would she endorse this dope. He doesn’t know how to get off a stage.”

Trump also made things awkward by saying: “I think she’s beautiful—very beautiful! I find her very beautiful. I think she’s liberal. She probably doesn’t like Trump. I hear she’s very talented. I think she’s very beautiful, actually—unusually beautiful!”

Some Swifties are angry and want Swift to make an official move soon to stop the confusion. An insider told The Daily Mail: “If she didn’t support him last time, she’s not going to support him now. He’s clearly lost it. In more ways than one.”

In recent surveys, Trump has been performing better with young people, but experts say he is unlikely to win this group of voters in November.

Will Taylor Swift endorse Kamala Harris? Is this Trump move just about getting headlines?

The good news keeps coming for the Democratic Party and Vice President Kamala Harris.

The California native is leading her Republican opponent, former President Donald Trump, in Arizona and North Carolina, according to the latest New York Times/Siena polls.

2024 election is now a toss-up after Joe Biden’s exit

However, the successor of President Joe Biden on the Democratic ticket is slightly behind in Nevada and Georgia.

Harris is doing well in most metrics just days before the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, which starts on August 19. She has turned the race for president upside down.

Before President Biden decided to step down as a candidate on July 21, Mr. Trump was the favorite to win in November. However, thanks to a new wave of optimism and energy, the election is once more a toss-up.

Some experts even suggest that if the election were held today, Ms. Harris would win. With more than two months of campaigning left, the Democrats cannot take anything for granted to avoid a repeat of the 2016 election.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton led by a decent margin in the polls. Still, she eventually lost the Electoral College when the so-called Blue Wall (Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan) crumbled.

Harris is working to avoid this kind of scenario. Moreover, the four new surveys from a well-respected pollster published on Saturday give that fight more credibility.

Kamala Harris leads Donald Trump in Arizona and North Carolina

The Democratic candidate is leading among likely voters in Arizona (50-45). In North Carolina, the lead is 49 to 47. Harris’s lead among registered voters is plus 4 in the two crucial states.

Things are slightly better for Trump in Georgia and Nevada. He is ahead in the Peach State (50-46). In the Silver State, the former reality television star is up by just one point (48-47). Trump has more leeway with registered voters; he leads by plus seven and two, respectively.

Interestingly, the two candidates have seen their favorable ratings rise recently. The ticket swap changed the electorate’s view of Harris. In the aftermath of the July assassination attempt in Pennsylvania, perception of Trump has also changed positively.

Harris has more paths to victory than Biden. If she wins Arizona, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Michigan, and the non-swing states that the Democratic ticket won in 2020, she will be elected president in November.

Republicans are urging Trump to change strategy, but he has been resisting those calls so far. The two candidates will face off on September 10 for their first presidential debate.

Who do you think is currently ahead in the presidential race? Are the 2024 polls telling the truth?