Our Election Day live updates see several former and current professional athletes and other high-profile sports personalities endorsing candidates ahead of the conclusion of the presidential election odds. Democratic candidate Kamala Harris formed the Athletes for Harris group in September, consisting of more than 75 current and former athletes.
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump has received endorsements from prominent sporting figures, such as podcaster Joe Rogan, UFC boss Dana White, Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, and pro golfer John Daly.
Rogan joins athletes in support of Trump
Most recently, UFC commentator and podcaster Joe Rogan endorsed Trump on the eve of the election following an interview with tech billionaire Elon Musk. Musk has been campaigning hard for Trump, including offering $1 million in prizes daily to those who sign a petition supporting Trump. Trump appeared on the Joe Rogan Experience in October.
Introducing his interview with Musk on X, Rogan commented, “The great and powerful @elonmusk... He makes what I think is the most compelling case for Trump you'll hear, and I agree with him every step of the way. For the record, yes, that's an endorsement of Trump. Enjoy the podcast.”
UFC’s White appeared at the Republican National Convention in July to express his support for Trump. Meanwhile, Chiefs kicker Butker said "I'm supporting the president that's going to be the most pro-life, and I think Donald Trump is the most pro-life president,” while speaking to Fox News in October.
Athletes for Harris
While Trump’s endorsements have been spread out across the 2024 campaign, with athlete endorsements as early as 2023, Harris has turned up the heat in this area very close to the election. At the end of September, her campaign created the Athletes for Harris group to endorse her ticket, chaired by 10 prominent sports figures:
- Thomas Booker — Philadelphia Eagles DT
- Magic Johnson — NBA Hall of Famer
- Billie Jean King — 12-time Grand Slam champion
- Steve Kerr — Golden State Warriors head coach
- Ali Krieger — two-time Women's World Cup champion
- Candace Parker — three-time WNBA champion
- Doc Rivers — Milwaukee Bucks head coach
- Dawn Staley — South Carolina head coach
- Ali Truwit — two-time Paralympic silver medalist
- Chris Paul — 12-time NBA All-Star
While this was the most organized showing of athlete support for Harris, it’s not the first time a prominent sports star has supported the Democratic cause. Two-time NBA MVP and Golden State Warriors player Stephen Curry appeared at the Democratic National Convention in a video message to endorse Kamala Harris’ bid for the presidency.
