Vice President Kamala Harris has made her debut on TikTok, a move that has quickly captured public attention. In her first post on the platform, Harris remarked, “Well I’ve heard that recently, I’ve been on the For You page, so I thought I’d get on here myself.” The video, posted on July 25, marks a significant step in Harris’s campaign as she seeks to connect with younger voters through social media.
Within just six hours of launching her personal TikTok account, Harris had gained over one million followers. This rapid growth reflects the platform’s broad appeal and Harris’s campaign’s strategic effort to engage with a younger audience. The account’s quick success contrasts with the earlier launch of the campaign’s TikTok presence, @KamalaHQ, which rebranded from @bidenhq. The campaign account has also seen significant growth, reaching over 1.6 million followers.
Deputy campaign manager Rob Flaherty emphasized the importance of TikTok in modern political campaigns. “Our job as a campaign is to break through the noise and make sure we’re talking to voters wherever they are—TikTok is one of those landscapes,” he said. “Getting the Vice President up on TikTok means she’ll be able to directly engage with a key constituency in a way that’s true and authentic to the platform and the audience.”
Harris’s entry into TikTok aligns with her campaign’s broader strategy to harness social media’s potential to reach and resonate with younger voters. This approach appears to be paying off, with recent polling showing Harris leading former President Donald Trump among 18- to 34-year-olds by a margin significantly greater than the lead Biden had in the same demographic.
Harris’s TikTok debut comes amid increasing scrutiny of the platform due to security concerns related to its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. In March, Harris had stated that while the Biden-Harris administration recognizes the national security risks associated with TikTok’s ownership, it has no plans to ban the platform outright. However, a recent law signed by President Biden requires ByteDance to divest its stake in TikTok within a year, or face a potential ban in the U.S. ByteDance has indicated it will not comply with this requirement, leading to ongoing debate about the future of TikTok in America.
Despite these concerns, Harris’s presence on TikTok underscores her campaign’s commitment to leveraging digital platforms to engage with voters in innovative ways. As the elections in 2024 approach, Kamala Harris’s TikTok videos will likely continue to be a key tool in her campaign strategy, providing updates and connecting with voters on a more personal level. Her activity on the platform will undoubtedly be closely watched as part of the broader Kamala Harris news and her campaign efforts.
