Taylor Swift’s Instagram Couldn’t Deliver Phil Bredesen the Win

Tennessee had a blank space, but they did not write Phil Bredesen’s name.

Despite a huge October Surprise in the form of an Instagram post endorsing the Tennessee Democrat in the statewide Senate race, Bredesen lost the Tennessee Senate race to Marsha Blackburn, who will go on to become the first woman senator from Tennessee.

The midterm elections saw Tennessee voters elect Marsha Blackburn, the first woman senator from Tennessee, to the US Senate.

“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 wrote back in October. “I always have and always will cast my vote based on which candidate will protect and fight for the human rights I believe we all deserve in this country.”

She continued, “I believe in the fight for LGBTQ rights, and that any form of discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender is WRONG. I believe that the systemic racism we still see in this country towards people of color is terrifying, sickening and prevalent.”

Swift’s endorsement caused quite the uproar in the fandom, leading several people to bemoan the liberalization of their former country music icon. Fox News’ Fox & Friends even believed that someone else wrote Swift’s post based on some “very bad information.” Commentator Charlie Kirk said that he loved when she “stayed away from politics” and was only about the music.

According to Politico, Democrats spent $30 million in the Tennessee senate race, while Republicans spent $32 million.

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