I can’t open Instagram without encountering something political anymore. Ever since June 27’s presidential debate, I (and the rest of the American population) have known it would be a thoroughly riotous year in politics, and I have yet to be proven wrong. From Donald Trump’s near assassination to Joe Biden dropping out of the race amid concerns about his advanced age, it’s not an understatement to say there’s a lot going on with public affairs, and the world of social media has a lot to say about it. 

At this point in the presidential race, Vice President Kamala Harris has replaced Biden as the top democratic candidate. Biden declared Harris his most worthy successor almost immediately after he withdrew from the race, but the president wasn’t the only one who cast his vote in Harris’ favor. The well-known British pop star Charli XCX tweeted “kamala IS brat” (in reference to her wildly popular new album) only hours after Harris announced she hoped to replace Biden as the democratic candidate. 

According to Today.com, being ‘brat’ is centered around partying, messy decision-making and the color lime green, all of which platforms like Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and X have embraced. In the weeks following the famous tweet, Harris’ “brat” campaign has taken the internet by storm, and this breath of fresh air into modern politics is exactly what Gen-Z voters need.

If I went up to anybody walking down the street and asked them to characterize a Gen-Z person, I’d be willing to bet any amount of money that they’d mention something related to social media. In today’s society, the vast majority of the younger generation is plugged into technology and popular culture on a regular basis. Harris harnessed both when she chose to lean into her newfound “brat” campaign. Since the attention span of Gen-Z is so remarkably short, Harris’ subtle encouragement of the circulating Charli XCX memes has captured the interest of young voters in an incredibly inspired and effective way. Additionally, Harris changed the background of her campaign’s X profile picture to “kamala hq” written in the style of the “brat” album cover, which is an excellent way to direct teens and young adults towards her political page. 

Some may argue that all the emphasis placed on pop culture is distracting from the Harris campaign’s true policies and issues, but in reality, it’s drawing potential voters in. Harris’ “brat” campaign may seem shallow on the surface, but once the flashy neon green has caught people’s attention, they’re more likely to become interested in learning the policies Harris brings to the table. It’s deceptively simple and entirely genius.

However, Harris has a fine line to walk: one between being deemed relatable or just cringey. As of right now, she’s doing an excellent job of embracing the memes about her online, making it clear that she’s in on the joke without trying too hard to seem young and relatable, but all of her good work will go down the toilet if the word “brat” ever leaves her mouth. Even though Harris is cleverly playing into humor at the forefront of her campaign, this is still a serious political race and it’s important for her to continue talking about the issues at hand. But so far, she’s doing a good job of making sure her campaign stays focused. Neon green may be the face of her campaign, but that’s far from everything she stands for.

All in all, Harris’ “brat” campaign is unlike anything modern politics has ever seen. In three words, Charli XCX slingshotted Harris and everything she stands for straight into the spotlight for younger voters, and Harris herself has done a commendable job of leaning into her trendy strategy without seeming too frivolous or drawing attention away from her actual policies and beliefs. As long as Harris doesn’t tempt fate by leaning too into pop culture driven political strategy, her “brat” campaign might just lead her to victory in November.

The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Evelyn Foster at [email protected].