On the outside, Shirley Temple and Arnold Schwarzenegger seem very different. But you may be surprised by one key similarity that ties them together: they’re both celebrities turned politicians.
These two are part of a club with many members, famously including presidents Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump. Lately, more and more celebrities have hopped on this historic trend and hinted at potential presidential campaigns (we’re looking at you, Oprah and The Rock). So, with the 2024 election right around the corner, we couldn’t help but wonder which celebrities could stand to win America’s vote.
To find out, we surveyed over 2,000 Americans on which celebrities they would (hypothetically) vote for as president. Read on to see how the most popular actors, musicians, and athletes would fare in both the popular vote and state-by-state races to become America’s 47th commander-in-chief!
America’s Picks
Before we delve into the state-by-state results, we wanted to explore how America might vote on some hypothetical ballots. Below are three fictional scenarios. Although Biden dropped out of the race in July, 30% of voters preferred to vote for him over Taylor Swift. However, Swift would triumph over Trump. The Rock, on the other hand, would defeat both Trump and Biden.
| Hypothetical Ballots | |
|---|---|
| Candidates | Voter Breakdown |
| Joe Biden | 42.11% |
| Taylor Swift | 30.25% |
| Donald Trump | 27.64% |
| Candidates | Voter Breakdown |
| Dwyane ‘The Rock’ Johnson | 38.25% |
| Joe Biden | 37.93% |
| Donald Trump | 23.82% |
| Candidates | Voter Breakdown |
| Barack Obama | 55.69% |
| Donald Trump | 21.57% |
| George W. Bush | 9.21% |
| Joe Biden | 6.97% |
| Bill Clinton | 6.56% |
If these were the ballots, Taylor Swift would beat Donald Trump but lose to Joe Biden by about 12%. If we swapped The Rock for Swift, he would beat Trump and edge out Biden by less than 1%.
Though not all presidents start out as celebrities, the presidency draws celebrity-like attention. After all, presidents remain among the most famous people in the country well after their terms end. Although Barack Obama has already met his term limit, according to our survey, he would win by a landslide if he ran against his peers today.
Celebrity Candidates: Hypothetical Presidential Winners in Various Categories
Although it doesn’t determine elections, the popular vote is a good indicator of the nation’s temperature. Accomplishments bode well for hypothetical celebrity candidates, as some of the most formidable names in their respective industries won each category. We know they can’t all run together, but combining the musical and acting talents of Swift, Springsteen, Hanks, and Bullock might create the world’s most entertaining campaign video.
If this were a contest between categories, Serena Williams and LeBron James would take the cake. Whether it’s due to their phenomenal fitness or commanding presence on the court, these two were favored in their category significantly more than any other celebrity.
| Celebrity Category | Celebrity President Choice |
|---|---|
| Male Actor | Tom Hanks (22.11%) |
| Female Actor | Sandra Bullock (24.63%) |
| Male Musical Artist | Bruce Springsteen (23.42%) |
| Female Musical Artist | Taylor Swift (26.29%) |
| Male Athlete | LeBron James (31.78%) |
| Female Athlete | Serena Williams (34.29%) |
In true Gen Z form, this generation strayed from the norm and chose different celebrities for almost every category. Their choices were significantly younger than the top picks overall (some aren’t even old enough to run yet), which is a testament to preferences of young voters. James and Williams remained on top, proving that they have the most presidential potential.
| Celebrity Category | Gen Z’s Choices |
|---|---|
| Male Actor | Ryan Reynolds (18.26%) |
| Female Actor | Zendaya (16.77%) |
| Male Musical Artist | Post Malone (17.66%) |
| Female Musical Artist | Adele (19.76%) |
| Male Athlete | LeBron James (42.51%) |
| Female Athlete | Serena Williams (47.60%) |
The Actor Every U.S. State Would Vote For
Actors have famously dominated the celebrity-to-politician pipeline, so this might just be our most likely list of future candidates. Tom Hanks, Morgan Freeman, and Denzel Washington swept the male actor category, winning all but one state.
South Carolinians must like to laugh because they went against the grain and picked Adam Sandler. Though Hanks was the clear solo winner, he and Washington could make a powerful presidential ticket if they worked together like their “Philadelphia” characters.
Sandra Bullock and Viola Davis dominated their poll, winning a combined 42 states. Although Jennifer Lawrence won Texas and Halle Berry won Oklahoma, they have seemingly no connection to either place. But who knows? They might reciprocate the love one day by establishing their campaign headquarters in those states.
The Musician Every U.S. State Would Vote For
We’re sorry to disappoint California and Kentucky, but Ed Sheeran won’t become president any time soon since he was born in the U.K. The same goes for Adele, who won in 13 states despite her non-native roots. Luckily for Bruce Springsteen fans, he won the most states of any male musician and was actually “Born in the U.S.A”, so he just might have a shot.
Speaking of origins, Taylor Swift might be a global sensation, but her home state of Pennsylvania proved that it hasn’t forgotten where she came from.
The Athlete Every U.S. State Would Vote For
Patrick Mahomes may have started his football career in Texas, but his Kansas City ties came through for him to win Missouri. Other athletes garnered support from their home states, like Iowa legend Caitlin Clark and Ohio-born LeBron James and Serena Williams.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce may not have been favored in Missouri, but he won in his girlfriend Taylor Swift’s native state of Pennsylvania. Simone Biles has proven to be a truly beloved American athlete, winning a diverse range of states from Minnesota to Mississippi.
Closing Thoughts
Our survey results uncovered some interesting data about two staples of American culture: celebrities and politics. We found that home state loyalty and levels of fame influence which celebrities people would vote for. We also found that people would vote for some celebrities, like Taylor Swift and The Rock, over current and former presidential candidates. The path from celebrity to president is not all that uncommon, but it’s clear that candidates must be well-regarded in order to succeed.
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Methodology
In true democratic fashion, we took it to the people to find out which famous faces America would want in the Oval Office. We created a survey with a list of the most popular celebrities in each category and collected the top choices of 2,225 survey respondents. Finally, we organized the results by state to determine the winners. The following states were not included due to insufficient survey respondents: Alaska; Montana; North Dakota; South Dakota; Vermont; Washington, D.C.; and Wyoming.
