Is The Future of Politics “Call Her Daddy”? The Strategy and Demographics of Kamala Harris’s Campaign

Photo via Reuters

AUBREY BUTTERFIELD: Current Vice President and Democratic Presidential Candidate Kamala Harris recently appeared on a popular podcast “Call Her Daddy.” Here’s who’s listening, and why a 44-minute episode is more important than you think.

“Call Her Daddy,” hosted by social media personality Alex Cooper, has gained fast traction in its six years of production, ranking in 2021 and 2022 as the second most popular podcast on Spotify. Cooper, a Boston University graduate, is the most popular female podcaster in the world. In her conversations with famed guests such as Miley Cyrus and Anna Delvey, Cooper talks about sex, relationships, and most recently, women’s rights.

Unsurprisingly, Harris focused on the latter of Cooper’s usual topics. In the episode, which went live on October 6, Harris discusses voting, reproductive rights, and domestic violence, which is supplemented with personal anecdotes of Harris’s career and life. Harris isn’t just talking with Cooper; she is talking to the millions of young female voters tuning in.

Cooper’s listeners are overwhelmingly young women. 70% of her audience identifies as women and 76% is under 35 years old. This demographic holds vast power in the upcoming election, as voters aged 18-34 will make up nearly one-fifth of American electoral participants. Harris focused on topics valuable to this electorate, such as the most important election issue for young women; abortion. The voices of young women, especially in topics Harris discussed, are crucial in 2024, and they’re tuning in to “Call Her Daddy.”

Cooper disclaims in the introduction of Harris’s episode that “Call Her Daddy” is not a political podcast, but a place of belonging for women across beliefs. The spread of political viewpoints in viewership emphasizes this, as 48% identify as Democrats, 24% as Republicans, and 20% as Independents. 

Harris’s campaign is not seeking a partisan platform, it is seeking the voter base of young women across the country, who hold significant power in 2024. Finding votes amongst marginalized youth is a key strategy of Harris’s campaign. “Call Her Daddy” is not an oddball political choice, but a strategic action falling right in line with Harris’s goals. And it’s not the only, or first time she’s utilized this medium.

On September 30, Harris appeared on the “All The Smoke” podcast, hosted by former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson. “All The Smoke” ranks in the top 20 podcasts for African American listeners, and hosts a majority male audience between 25-44. Harris discussed the economy, social justice, and cannabis legislation in her episode.

Harris’s campaign is focused on speaking to all youth voices, from the “Daddy gang” to die-hard fans of NBA alum. From the famous KamalaHQ TikToks to the ‘Brat’-ified look of the online campaign, Harris is honing in on youth appeal.

The casual tone and conversational nature of a podcast is a platform Harris thrives in. Her appearance on “Call Her Daddy” is no different. As the 2024 presidential election approaches, the race may be determined by this new electorate, influenced by the novel medium of podcasting in campaigning. 

How the “Daddy gang” will play a role is unforeseen, but the strategy and outreach of podcasts for Harris is certainly much larger than 44 minutes.

Aubrey Butterfield (she/her) is a staff writer for On The Record. She is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences currently undeclared, interested in studying Government and Journalism. She is originally from Southgate, Michigan.