The political world is firing on all cylinders with Vice President Kamala Harris’ sudden thrust into the 2024 presidential race after President Joe Biden’s exit. The shift in the Democratic ticket has the power that exists at the intersection of the internet and politics.
Generation Z, the population of people born between 1997 and 2012, makes up a voting bloc of over 40 million people, ushering in a new era of political media consumption through social media.
“For Gen-Z, memes are how we communicate. It’s an example of enthusiasm, especially in politics,” Zion Eldridge, a junior political science major and African American studies minor from Ohio, said. “With the Vice President, you’ve seen a lot of organic support in terms of her memes and content which is a really good sign for Democrats.”
Certain social media posts about Harris have garnered millions of views, and have subsequently contributed to the virality of her campaign.
Charli XCX’s post on X stated “kamala IS brat,” in reference to her recent album “BRAT,” has gained 35 million views as of July 23, and has now swelled to 54 million.
A similar trend has been seen with the word ‘coconut,’ a reference to a May 2023 speech by Harris quoting her mother’s advice that has become a meme. A study conducted by The University of Georgia shows that out of the 60 million X posts made about Harris and Trump, 44,290 have mentioned this viral word.
In a recent New York Times article it explains the enthusiasm surrounding Harris’s campaign and how it has excavated a new space of “viral gold,” for influencers.
The Other 98%, a nonprofit organization that uses “meme warfare” on Instagram to challenge America’s wealthy, has reportedly seen its typical reach increase by nearly three times.
Additionally, pro-Harris accounts on Facebook such as “Ridin’ With Kamala,” have seen a nearly 400% increase in traffic since aligning themselves with Harris after President Biden’s departure.
“I would say for the Harris campaign and anyone in general, if you’re seeing that kind of content being pushed out naturally that’s good because that’s showing that Gen Z is engaged, and Gen Z is energized,” Eldridge said.
Kirsta Cooke, a junior psychology major from Georgia is entertained by the memes.
“I feel like they are entertaining and help to raise excitement for her campaign,” Cooke said. “I feel like it’s another way to appeal to our generation and could possibly influence younger people to vote.”
Kristal Swim is the Director of Government Relations at E Pluribus Unum, a non-profit, non-partisan organization focused on reducing disparities across the South. She was formerly a campaign manager for Democratic campaigns.
“This is a unique moment in time Vice President Harris has certainly injected a new level of energy into the campaign,” Swim said.
A CNN poll conducted by SSRS shows that 47% of voters aged 18 to 35 would vote for Harris, while only 43% would vote for Trump. 78% of Black voters are expected to cast their ballot for Harris this November.
However, Swim remains skeptical of early polling and said it is too early to “pinpoint the impact” of the influx of viral memes on voters.
While it is still too early in the race to make a direct correlation between social media and voter engagement, there is a push now more than ever, through any medium, to mobilize every segment of the U.S. population to the polls in what could be a make or break for American politics.
