Billboard via Getty Images
Is it a case of Bad Blood?
Or simply a matter of Look What She Made Them Do?
Whatever the case, new polling of North Carolina voters suggests that Taylor Swift’s reputation is in tatters in the wake of her Presidential Endorsement Era.
The Victory Insights survey of 600 likely general election voters throughout North Carolina, conducted Sept. 16 to 18, shows that voters in the pivotal swing state are in revolt against the Queen of Pop and wish she’d stick to writing songs rather than political pronouncements.
Asked to rate Swift on a scale of 1 to 5, 30% of respondents rated her a “1,” which corresponds to an “extremely negative” read on the chart-topping singer.
An additional 9% rate her as a “2,” which translates to a less extreme antipathy.
The nearly 40% share of Taylor haters in the Tar Heel State exceeds her post-endorsement support — and that’s in a poll that sampled 4% more Democrats than Republicans.
31% of respondents are positive on the pop star even after she buzzed into the “KHive.”
Almost as many Tar Heel Staters are apathetic about Taylor as those who love her — nearly 30% report that they’re neutral in the Swift wars.
Swift’s fall from grace is reflected in the fact that Elon Musk — who extended an unsolicited offer to impregnate the “childless cat lady” days before this poll was conducted — is more popular than the pop princess in the swing state: 35% view him favorably, and 39% hold a negative view.
While the polling here is negative toward Taylor, it’s much more positive for Donald Trump, who leads Harris 49% to 45% in this survey, a much bigger lead than the 0.3% he has on average in the state.
Independents drive the momentum in this poll — they favor the former president 43% to 27%.
But Trump doesn’t look likely to help North Carolina’s Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, a Republican who is seeking the governor’s office this year.
Democrat Josh Stein leads Robinson 47% to 42%. Undecided Trump voters constitute 7% of the sample, suggesting the Republican’s narrow path involves converting those reluctant Trumpers.
Just 2% more are Trump-Stein voters, while 0.5% are Harris-Robinson supporters.