Kansas City Chiefs’ star quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, has publicly declared his intent to abstain from endorsing any candidates in the 2024 presidential election. This comes amidst attempts to involve him and his wife, Brittany, in political discussions and endorsements.
Despite the ongoing trend of celebrity endorsements as the 2024 election season intensifies, the three-time Super Bowl champion has chosen to maintain political neutrality.
Before a practice session for the upcoming game against Cincinnati on Wednesday, September 11, Mahomes clarified his position to reporters. “I don’t want my place and my platform to be used to endorse a candidate or do whatever, either way,” he stated.
Mahomes expressed his dedication to promoting civic engagement among his fans instead. “I think my place is to inform people to get registered to vote. It’s to inform people to do their own research and then make the best decision for them and their family,” he further elaborated.
Former President Donald Trump recently referred to Brittany Mahomes as a “big Trump fan” in a phone interview with Fox News. This follows pop icon Taylor Swift’s public endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidency. Swift, who is dating Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce and is a friend of the Mahomes family, made her endorsement known just a day before Mahomes’ media address.
Mahomes, known for his calm demeanor in all situations, dismissed Trump’s comments about his wife. “I can’t let that affect how I go about my business every single day and live my life and try to live it to the best of my ability,” Mahomes explained.
Speculation about Brittany Mahomes’ political preferences started after she reportedly liked a post from Trump on Instagram. However, she has not made any official endorsements and, given Patrick Mahomes’ recent comments, the couple seems to prefer keeping their political views private.
Patrick Mahomes has consistently promoted voter participation without expressing support for any specific party or candidate. In 2020, he was instrumental in transforming Arrowhead Stadium, the home of the Kansas City Chiefs, into a polling location. His efforts to encourage voter registration and participation align with his broader community outreach initiatives.
Celebrity endorsements have become a standard part of presidential campaigns, a strategy that Mahomes eschews. Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Vice President Harris reportedly drove over 400,000 visitors to the vote.gov website in a single day.
Swift hailed Harris as a “steady-handed, gifted leader” poised to “fight for the rights and causes” that Swift supports. She also voiced concerns about the spread of misinformation, including a fabricated AI-generated endorsement of Donald Trump.
In response, the Trump campaign labeled Swift as a “very liberal person” who could potentially see repercussions in her professional standing. Nevertheless, a group of Swift’s fans, dubbed “Swifties for Kamala,” has already organized in support of the Harris-Walz ticket.
As the 2024 election draws near, celebrity endorsements and their influence on voter behavior continue to garner attention. While some celebrities like Swift use their fame to back specific candidates, others like Mahomes choose a more neutral stance, focusing on promoting democratic participation.
