How Governor Hochul Could Get a Political Boost as a Taylor Swift Fan

There's a Swiftie in New York Executive Mansion.

Governor Hochul, arguably the most politically powerful Taylor Swift fan in New York State, has cited the ultra-popular singer-songwriter as a “philosopher” and used the song “Welcome to New York” as music during an important speech in the Legislature.

Two weeks ago, when Swift released her new album, “The Department of Tortured Poets,” the governor told reporters in her Manhattan office that she would take the time to listen to. She confirmed last week that yes.

“I love him”, Hochul said. His favorite track from the album is “Goodbye, London.”

Swift's publicist did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

It's not uncommon for politicians to display their admiration for musicians who they believe speak to their political identity or their supporters – or, simply, make music they love.

Former Governor Andrew Cuomo maintained a public friendship with Billy Joel, the piano bard of Long Island, a politically purple region where Cuomo showed unique strength for a democrat. Former Mayor Mike Bloomberg reference Jay-Z cuts.

In presidential politics, Barack Obama has embraced musicians like Stevie Wonder And Bruce Springsteen, two artists whose music spoke deeply to part of his base. Frank Sinatra supercharged the candidacy of President John F. Kennedy.

In Hochul's case, the 65-year-old centrist Democrat appears to have calculated that Swift could help him connect with younger voters who seemed skeptical, said Hank Sheinkopf, a Democratic political consultant.

In a Siena College survey conducted last month, Forty-one percent of New Yorkers ages 18 to 34 said they approved of Hochul's job performance, making that age group the governor's weakest.

“She understands the nature of gossip and entertainment in American politics, and talking about Taylor Swift makes young people and others pay attention,” Sheinkopf said. “Taylor Swift's words are the words of this entire generation, and those are the people they need.”

“Maybe she likes music too. Why not?”

Chris Coffey, a Democratic strategist, said referencing Swift also allows the governor to make New York state's byzantine government more accessible.

“It’s about speaking a language that people understand,” he said. “You can show that you can do great things, lead the state of New York and have fun while doing it.”

Hochul, the first woman elected governor of New York, might find personal resonance in the experiences of Swift, who is on track to become the most popular female musical artist in New York state. American History.

Swift, after all, has sung about “running as fast as I can, wondering if I could get there faster if I were a man.”

Hochul's team sometimes bristled at perceptions of the governor as sexist and unfair.

She was seen, by both her critics and supporters, as a cautious political operator, exacting in her words and sometimes slow to launch into a political whirlwind.

For example, as Mayor Adams took quick – and controversial – action press tour to defend New York police handling of protests at Columbia University, Hochul was boast of victories for New Yorkers in the new state budget. She in private visits Colombia to assess the situation and also defended the New York Police Department.

But Hochul, who was slow to react Lee ZeldinThe stronger-than-expected Republican campaign for governor in 2022, focused on crime, has been aggressive in adopting a national role in the run-up to the 2024 elections.

Even if she's not on the ballot in November, her political brand is, to some extent. She is poised to become one of President Biden's top campaign surrogates, and she has played a central role in efforts to reclaim New York House districts that Democrats lost in 2022. In the midterms, Hochul's weak performance against Zeldin hurt Democratic candidates. ballot.

Linking up with a wildly popular musician could boost his efforts, Sheinkopf suggested.

“It’s about young people,” he said. “It’s about voters. It's a question of message. It’s about making politics less distant from citizens.”