Taylor Swift Gets Political for Tennessee Dems, But Bettors Like GOP in Senate Race

Taylor Swift sells out stadiums around the world, and she’s been at the center of plenty of entertainment controversies through the years. All those public and social media battles should have prepared her well for her latest push: the political arena.

Taylor Swift is using her voice to persuade Tennesseans to vote for two Democrats, but the odds on one winning remain long. (Image: Mario Anzuoni/Reuters)

In an Instagram post, the 28-year-old said she’s supporting two Tennessee Democrats for Congress: former Tennessee governor Phil Bredesen (D) and Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Tennessee). Swift moved to the country music and state capital of Nashville when she was just 14 years old.

Bredesen is running against Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) for the Senate seat. Incumbent Cooper is running against attorney Jody Ball.

“In the past I’ve been reluctant to publicly voice my political opinions, but due to several events in my life and in the world in the past two years, I feel very differently about that now,” Swift explained to her 112 million Instagram followers.

I will be voting for Phil Bredesen for Senate and Jim Cooper for House of Representatives … educate yourself on the candidates running … and vote based on who most closely represents your values,” Swift wrote.

But the majority of Tennesseeans more closely associate with Blackburn’s values. The most recent poll conducted by CBS News/YouGov finds that the congresswoman has an eight-point lead over Bredesen.

Bettors on the exchange site PredictIt — which allows customers to buy and sell shares of political outcomes —  feel it’s Blackburn’s Senate seat to lose. Shares of the Republican winning are trading for 76 cents, with his Democratic opponent at 29 cents.

Look What You Made Me Do

Swift’s dislike for Blackburn was outlined as well.

“Her voting record in Congress appalls and terrifies me. She voted against equal pay for women. She believes businesses have a right to refuse service to gay couples. She also believes they should not have the right to marry. These are not MY Tennessee values,” the entertainer told her social media following.

Swift’s support isn’t causing those putting money on the Senate election outcome to worry, though. In fact, Bredesen’s stock has lost a few cents over the last 24 hours.

Meanwhile, Cooper is expected to easily win reelection, as a Republican hasn’t held Tennessee’s 5th congressional district seat since 1875. PredictIt doesn’t have a market on the House race.

Betting Markets More Accurate Than Polls

The polls got the 2016 presidential election infamously wrong, and that’s led some political observers to pay closer attention to betting markets like PredictIt.

The recent controversial confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh had overseas oddsmakers lengthening his odds of receiving Senate approval, but PredictIt shares of him taking the highest judicial bench in the nation remained over 90 cents.

Across the US, PredictIt bettors feel the Democrats will take control of the House (shares trading at 65 cents) after the November midterms, but the GOP will retain Senate power (84 cents).

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