Absent Taylor Swift Doesn’t Stop Swifties For Kamala Rally From Raising Over $100K

"Swifties for Kamala" kicked things off Tuesday with a virtual rally, featuring a star-studded lineup that included Carole King and Senator Elizabeth Warren, but no Taylor Swift.

The event held on Tuesday was packed with Swiftie references and puns, making it clear that even without Taylor Swift herself, her influence was felt throughout the entire event.

“Swifties for Kamala” has gained around 250,000 followers on various social media platforms (regardless of Taylor Swift's silence on her presidential stance) since President Joe Biden announced he wouldn't run for a second term and threw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.

While Taylor Swift hasn't endorsed a presidential candidate yet, her fan base isn't waiting around, launching "Swifties for Kamala."

On Tuesday, via the virtual rally, each guest speaker was asked to name their favorite Taylor Swift song before diving into their political messages.

Senator Elizabeth Warren, who kicked off the rally, named her top picks as “Karma” and “All Too Well (10-Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version).” Warren also took the opportunity to slam Ticketmaster and rallied support for ushering in the "Era of the First Woman President," per Variety.

“So here’s the deal. We’ve got 70 days until the election, and I’m just going to be blunt, it is going to be a tough fight ahead,” Warren said during the rally. “We have lots to do, and Dang, there are only 24 hours in a day, or 144 ‘All Too Well (10 Minute Versions).'”

Carole King, introduced at the rally as the self-proclaimed “original cat lady,” began her speech by referring to Taylor Swift as “my musical and songwriting granddaughter.” She also rapped the chorus of “Shake It Off.”

“I’m excited about Kamala, because so many people are excited about Kamala,” King said during the virtual rally. “I have admired her, the idea that this happened, and the stars lined up, and Joe Biden did a really gracious, hard thing to do, and I’m so proud of him. … But this is about you. This call is about you.”

For those who are unaware, in 2021, Swift inducted King into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, performing a heartfelt cover of “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” and dubbing her “the greatest songwriter of all time.”

“I am a Swiftie, and Taylor and I are actually friends,” she added. “We’ve had conversations backstage, and I see her as sort of my musical and songwriting granddaughter, and we have a lovely relationship and I’m so proud of her. I’m so excited about Kamala because so many people are excited about Kamala.”

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand took a dig at Donald Trump's running mate, J.D. Vance, who has been under fire for his previous comments about "childless cat ladies."

“I think it’s important that we, as single cat ladies, as independent women, as women who know every lyric that Taylor Swift has ever written, that we are part of this campaign and part of this election,” Gillibrand said, per CNN. “I think she can be a voice for this generation that is really profound, as someone who values women’s words, who values women, who values our independence.”

Later, King urged the estimated 27,000 viewers tuning in to throw their support behind Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.

“I’ve been a political activist for years. I’ve been a volunteer, I’ve been a door knocker, even as a famous person,” she added, per Variety. “I’m telling you all this because if any of you are thinking of volunteering to be door knockers or phone callers, but you’re a little nervous about what you might say, please believe me: there is nothing to lose and everything to gain.”

Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Ed Markey also made appearances, who cleverly worked in a nod to Taylor Swift’s “Snow on the Beach” featuring Lana Del Rey during his speech on climate change.

Representative Chris Deluzio, North Carolina Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton, and Representative Becca Balint, also joined the rally.

“We are not waiting on Taylor to show her support for Kamala Harris,” Swifties for Harris social media manager Rohan Reagan told Cosmopolitan earlier this month. “We are doing this outside of her, using the platform of Swifties as a way to get people involved in the election. Taylor did throw her support toward Joe Biden during the 2020 election, so it is possible that she’ll show her support again. But Swifties for Kamala aren’t waiting for her to do that.”

While Taylor Swift was absent, Swifties still gathered together to raise an estimated $114,000 (thus far.)