Charli XCX secures the Gen Z girlie vote for Kamala Harris by calling her a brat
July has been an intense month, to say the least. In less than ten days we witnessed an assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump and then the country’s sitting President Joe Biden decided to step down after relentless pressure from Democrats following a disastrous debate performance at the end of June 2024. To top it all off, Biden set a historically unprecedented process in motion that could lead to a biracial woman, Kamala Harris, becoming one of the most important people in the world—a move that would reshape gender norms worldwide.
And, as Harris started to build her campaign from the ashes of Biden’s with prominent democratic endorsements rolling in, she received a very special celeb one that might have just secured her the vote of Gen Z girlies everywhere.
Our lord and saviour Charli XCX stepped forward to anoint the new democratic frontrunner, simply by typing the words: “Kamala IS brat.” And, as far as the internet is concerned, brat is Kamala, Charli. What a time to be alive.
kamala IS brat
— Charli (@charli_xcx) July 22, 2024
Over the last 24 hours, during which Biden decided to abandon his campaign and throw his support behind Harris, Democrats across the United States have seemingly fallen apart in a frenzy but somehow managed to pull themselves back together to thank President Biden for his service, express their support for Harris, and of course, sling dirt at Donald Trump and his dangerous Project 2025 agenda.
Biden’s decision was referred to as a patriotic sacrifice, with some of his closest allies such as the Obamas and Clintons hailing his single term as one of the most productive ones in American history.
Joe Biden has been one of America’s most consequential presidents, as well as a dear friend and partner to me. Today, we’ve also been reminded – again – that he’s a patriot of the highest order.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) July 21, 2024
Here’s my full statement: https://t.co/Bs2ZumFXxe
Joe Biden has served our country with honor and dignity.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) July 21, 2024
As the first president to ever walk on a picket line with striking workers, he has been the most pro-working class president in modern American history.
Thank you, Mr. President, for all you’ve done.
My statement on today: https://t.co/U0meOCtlfp
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 21, 2024
At the same time, more prominent Democrats, such as Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez (AOC), Cori Bush, Ayanna Pressley, and Ilhan Omar started to voice their support for Harris’ presidential bid.
During an emergency afternoon conference call, Tennessee’s 77 Democratic National Convention (DNC) delegates also voted unanimously to endorse Harris as the party’s nominee, becoming the first DNC delegates of any state to do so.
By the evening, Harris had a full campaign up and running with her allies having called most members of Congress and DNC delegates in an effort to secure her nomination before the convention in August.
The current vice president also raised an impressive $49.6 million for her presidential campaign in less than a day. She really said, ‘I better get to work ASAP’.
This quick turnaround showed that although the announcement was unexpected, the decision had been long brewing, and the party and interest groups around the country were prepared for this potential change.
However, nothing captures voters’ hearts and the news cycle more than juicy celebrity endorsements.
Enter chief brat Charli XCX. After she shared the now-infamous tweet on X (formerly Twitter), youth endorsements kept rolling in as well.
In case you don’t know (which is unlikely in our digitalised world but still), Charli XCX’s recently released album was named Brat and launched a whole ‘Brat girl summer’ movement that became about young women embracing their unruly, unladylike, rebellious side to make the most out of life.
Bestowing Harris with the moniker was a zeitgeisty badge of honour, rarely seen with celebrity endorsements.
“The amount this single tweet may have just done for the youth vote is not insignificant,” March For Our Lives founder and board member David Hogg shared on Twitter, oh pardon, X.
The amount this single tweet may have just done for the youth vote is not insignificant. https://t.co/VyQQVZnKmE
— David Hogg 🟧 (@davidhogg111) July 22, 2024
“The vibe of young voters has dramatically shifted for the better. [A] friend of mine tonight who just last week said they were not going to vote just told me that they will now if Kamala is running,” Hogg stated in another tweet.
The vibe of young voters has dramatically shifted for the better. Friend of mine tonight who just last week said they were not going to vote just told me that they will now if Kamala is running.
— David Hogg 🟧 (@davidhogg111) July 22, 2024
It is undeniable that Harris’ bid for the presidency has brought new life, energy, and, let’s face it, drama, into the fight for the country’s top spot.
Although she lacks political experience, stature, and expertise to some, she is strongest on issues where Republican frontrunner Donald Trump is trailing, abortion being the most glaringly obvious one.
This is who Trump has chosen as his running mate: https://t.co/D9vVs9PVo9 pic.twitter.com/jyuUGo6f42
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 18, 2024
“Now at this historic crossroads, youth voters will turn out en masse for Kamala Harris, to be our first woman President (who) will protect and expand our right to choice all across the nation. The contrast could not be clearer to our generation: vote for a young and always determined Kamala Harris, or watch the promise of our future fall apart at the hands of a 78-year-old convicted felon and sex offender who is at the front lines of waging the Republican Party’s war on our youth rights,” Florida Future Leaders Chair Jayden D’Onofrio said in a statement.
What happens in November remains to be seen but it’s undeniable that Harris’ bid for the White House was a wake-up call to Democrats across the country and offered a glimmer of hope to some of Biden’s most persistent and liberal critics.
