Democrat-Backing Taylor Swift Stays Political At American Music Awards

Taylor Swift got political again at the American Music Awards on Tuesday.

Swift, who recently endorsed Democratic candidates in Tennessee and urged young citizens to vote, stayed on message in her acceptance speech for Artist of the Year.

“I just wanted to make a mention of the fact that this award and every single award given out tonight were voted on by the people,” the pop star said. “And you know what else is voted on by the people is the midterm elections on Nov. 6. Get out and vote.”

At past awards ceremonies, Swift’s speech might have come off as a neutral plea for Americans to perform their civic duty by voting. But not this time.

Swift, departing from her apolitical public stance, declared in an Instagram post on Sunday her support for Democratic Senate candidate Phil Bredesen over Republican Marsha Blackburn in the Tennessee race for retiring Sen. Bob Corker’s seat. Swift, a Tennessee resident, also said she’d be voting for incumbent Rep. Jim Cooper, a Democrat.

“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,” she wrote.

The announcement reportedly may have helped generate a spike in voter registration and sparked backlash among conservative fans, including President Donald Trump , who said he liked her music “25 percent” less now.