Katy Perry Receives Backlash On Social Media For Election Day Post
Pop singer Katy Perry received backlash this week after she posted how she voted for Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rick Caruso.
The 38-year-old Southern California native posted a reel of photos on Instagram Monday showing her voting for Caruso and in favor of ballot measure 28.
"I am voting for a myriad of reasons (see the news) but in particular because Los Angeles is a hot mess atm. #letsgocaruso #yestomeasure28 #yestomeasure1 #doyoubutjustuseyourvoteok," Perry captioned the post.
The Grammy-nominated musician has since turned off comments after the criticism.
Caruso, a billionaire mall developer, is running against Karen Bass, a longtime U.S. congresswoman. Caruso has never held elected office and dropped over $100 million into his campaign.
Caruso holds a small lead over Bass, 51.2% to 48.8%. Only 44% of ballots have been counted and the results of the election may not be known for weeks, according to election officials.
Fans slammed Perry's decision since it undermines her past political advocacy and pro-choice stance.
In 2016, Perry endorsed Democrat Hillary Clinton and performed at Joe Biden's inauguration ceremony. She has been a strong abortion-rights advocated -- a contrast to Caruso who has donated to anti-abortion organizations and politicians in the past. Caruso had reportedly pledged $1 million to support an abortion-rights proposition, but has yet to make the donation.
Fans also took issue with Perry's affiliation to a former Republican. Caruso was formerly a registered Republican. A month before announcing his run, he changed his affiliation from "no party preference" to Democrat.
Others say the decision to favor a billionaire businessman highlights Perry's relationship with the wealthy elite and disconnect from her fanbase. Growing social media dialogue around wealth inequality and environmental justice has caused a rift in celebrities' public perception.
Earlier this year, singer-songwriter Taylor Swift was criticized for her "wasteful" private jet flights, which earned her a spot on the "Celebs With the Worst Private Jet CO2 Emissions" list.
Multiple celebrities have endorsed Caruso including Kim Kardashian, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Elon Musk.
Ariana Grande, John Legend, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus are among the notable names who have endorsed Bass.
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