As the 2024 campaign approaches its final weeks, Democrats are leaning especially heavily on their star power advantage to support Harris, excite audiences and, they hope, motivate people to the ballot box. A variety of celebrities are calling for.

Democrats have long enjoyed a celebrity advantage and have used it to fuel presidential campaigns when attention and energy are crucial. The surge has grown during the rise of Trump, a period when many celebrities, even non-political stars, broke their silence and spoke out against the Republican leader. Benefits often mean raucous, fiery events in the closing days of a race, but history — namely Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign — highlights how the energy of those events can sometimes overshadow broader issues with a candidate. Might be possible.

A few weeks before the election on October 20, Harris received an assist from music legend Stevie Wonder in Jonesboro, Georgia, who united churchgoers with a rendition of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song.” A few days later in Atlanta, Harris and former President Barack Obama co-chaired a rally that included a performance by Springsteen and speeches by famed filmmaker Spike Lee and actor Samuel L. Jackson. The campaign came a day after a rally in Texas that included a performance by Willie Nelson and a speech by Beyoncé.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Harris’s running mate, has also benefited from the celebrity push. Singer-songwriter James Taylor performed at events with the governor in North Carolina earlier in the month. And Walz, along with Harris, spoke at an event in Michigan on Monday that included a five-song set from singer-songwriter Maggie Rogers.

“I came for Harris,” said neighborhood resident Ashley Oberheide, who attended the outdoor Harris rally held in Ann Arbor’s Burns Park. “I love that there’s musical activity behind her, but I’m always here for Harris.” An “extra bonus.”

University of Michigan nursing student Audrey Hudson, who voted for the first time a few days before the rally, described her attendance as “fulfilling a civic duty as well as seeing an artist I love perform.”

“I’m here to support Kamala and Walz too, but Maggie Rogers, I’ve loved her music since I was in middle school. He’s been a huge influence on me,” Hudson said, adding that he thinks artists like Rodgers are more relatable to young voters and can influence the way they vote.

Ann Arbor resident Rachel Lieberman, 29, shared that the rally in her hometown was her third Harris event and that Rogers was the “cherry on top” that she believes will help turn out the youth vote.

“I think it’s all part of motivating the younger generation to vote,” Lieberman said.

Harris and the Democrats also aren’t relying solely on showing up at events. Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who spoke at Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, called Puerto Rico “a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean,” following which the Democrat’s campaign received public support from rapper Bad Bunny, Jennifer Lopez and artist found. Ricky Martin, three of the most famous Puerto Rican celebrities. The trio together have over 300 million followers on different social media platforms.

Many of the events are part of Harris’s “When We Vote We Win” concert series, aimed at motivating supporters to vote early in key battleground states. And he is expected to have more high-profile supporters in the coming days.

When she campaigns in Wisconsin on Wednesday, her rally in Madison will include performances from Gracie Abrams, Mumford & Sons, Remy Wolf and The National’s Matt Berninger and Aaron Dessner. On Thursday, his rally in Arizona will include Los Tigres del Norte, a famous norteño band originally from Sinaloa, Mexico. And finally, on Friday, Harris will headline a rally in Las Vegas featuring a speech by Mana and Lopez, a Mexican pop rock band originally from Guadalajara, Mexico.

The 2020 campaign was a celebrity outlier. Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, large campaign events were unusual, especially on the Democratic side. Celebrities appeared in social media videos for then-former Vice President Joe Biden, who went on to defeat Trump.

Trump has received the endorsement of celebrities who appeal deeply to his core base of voters, such as singer Lee Greenwood, television personality Dr. Phil McGraw and former football stars such as Brett Favre, Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell. Country singer Jason Aldean recently spoke at a Trump rally in Georgia and San Francisco 49ers star defensive lineman Nick Bosa recently jumped in a teammate’s post-game interview to show off a MAGA hat.

But the Republican nominee largely has no answer to Harris’ celebrity engagements. Trump, whose career has turned him into a celebrity, often provides star power at his events. And when a figure like Hinchcliffe headlines a Trump event, it could create problems for the Republican campaign.

The focus on celebrity events is mirrored by the noisy events on the grounds and often leaves Democrats excited and optimistic about their prospects. But the strategy can also shed light on issues: When crowds are filled with celebrities and musical performances, problems with a candidate’s message or hold on a critical base of voters can be obscured, a trend that was exemplified in former Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign. Was highlighted by the unsuccessful race of. ,

The final week of Clinton’s campaign eight years ago was actually full of music icons and celebrities on the red carpet. His final rally as a candidate was a rousing event in North Carolina, headlined by Jon Bon Jovi and Lady Gaga. His final event with former President Barack Obama ended with Springsteen performing at Independence Mall in Philadelphia. They concluded their campaign in Ohio with a performance by Jay Z and Beyoncé in Cleveland. And just days earlier she had filled the Bayfront Park Amphitheater in downtown Miami, Florida with Lopez’s captivating performance.

“We just heard Jennifer perform ‘Let’s Get Loud’. Well, I say at the polling booth, ‘Let’s be loud.’ You can vote early. Don’t wait another day to vote,” Clinton said.

The Clinton campaign left each respective battleground excited that the energy they felt at the event could lead them to victory.

A few days later, Clinton lost North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Florida and Trump, then a businessman, was elected president.

Associated Press writers Joey Cappelletti and Mike Householder in Ann Arbor, Michigan contributed to this report.

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