Jennifer Garner and Other Stars Hit the Road to Rally Support for Kamala Harris: Will It Make a Difference?

Hollywood star Jennifer Garner, along with other famous faces, is traveling across the U.S. to encourage people to vote for Kamala Harris in the upcoming presidential election. Garner joked, "Jessica Alba, Kerry Washington - my friends and colleagues - will be here tomorrow. We’re all going to drive you crazy," making the crowd laugh. She added, "I know it’s stressful, and you don’t even want to turn on the TV, but it’s really important."

Garner, known for her role in Alias, was speaking about all the political ads, text messages, and door-to-door efforts in one of the key states that will help decide if Democrat Kamala Harris or Republican Donald Trump becomes the next U.S. president.

These celebrity endorsements are part of a last-minute push to get voters ready for Election Day on November 5. After her stop in Arizona, Garner traveled to Pennsylvania to support Vice President Harris and also planned to visit Nevada.

When stars want to help with campaigns, political experts advise them to visit places where they have personal ties and to speak about issues they care about. They often pair celebrities with well-known political figures.

For example, Garner joined former policy adviser Susan Rice during her Arizona visit. She shared how her parents met in the state and also talked about Harris’ plans to support child tax credits and pay childcare workers better. Garner is a board member of Save the Children, an organization that focuses on helping kids.

Other stars are also helping out. Julia Roberts visited her home state of Georgia and was introduced by Stacey Abrams, a former state representative. Actor Jane Fonda, a well-known climate change activist, went door-to-door in Michigan to support Harris and other candidates who care about the environment. Fonda, who has been politically active for years, said she had never knocked on doors for a president before. "I'm doing everything I can," she told one voter. "We have to get them elected."

While Hollywood is often seen as supporting Democrats, some celebrities are rallying for Donald Trump. Actor Dennis Quaid, who recently played Ronald Reagan in a movie, spoke at a Trump rally in California, telling the crowd, "It’s time to pick a side." Other Trump supporters include musicians Ted Nugent, Kid Rock, and wrestler Hulk Hogan, who spoke at this year’s Republican National Convention.

Can Celebrities Make a Difference?

So, can stars like Garner or Quaid actually change people’s minds? According to Christian Grose, a political science professor at the University of Southern California, celebrity appearances can help get the message out. If an ordinary person knocks on a door, they might only convince that one person to vote. But when a celebrity does it, it attracts media attention and social media buzz, reaching more people.

Whether that leads to more people voting depends on the star and the situation. Big names like Oprah Winfrey can have a big impact. For example, when Oprah endorsed Barack Obama in 2007, it was credited with helping him win 1 million votes during the Democratic primary.

In 2023, pop star Taylor Swift encouraged people to register to vote, leading to thousands of new voter sign-ups. This September, she went further by endorsing Kamala Harris in an Instagram post that got more than 11 million likes.

Outside of mega-stars like Oprah and Swift, studies suggest that most celebrity endorsements have little to no effect on voter turnout. Still, in a close race, where a few hundred or thousand votes can make a difference, every bit of support counts.

Grose added, "I wouldn’t say it’s the most critical part of the campaign, but you can definitely create excitement and enthusiasm by having a bit of Hollywood magic show up in unexpected places."

Sources: HindustanTimes and Other Internet Sources

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