Entertainment

Study Finds LeBron James Most Influential Celebrity On Voting Issues Ahead Of Election

Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports via Reuters

Katie Jerkovich Entertainment Reporter
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A news study finds that LeBron James has been the most influential star on voting issues when it comes to 2020 election cycle.

The NBA superstar was named among other stars such as Oprah Winfrey, Tom Hanks and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as those with the most trusted opinions on political and social issues in a poll conducted by Whitman Insight Strategies and MRC Data, according to the Hollywood Reporter in a piece published Wednesday.(RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)

The survey, conducted in partnership with DISQO, polled 1,103 likely voters (48 percent male; 52 percent female) from October 8-13 in the United States and found that James with 36 percent did the most to raise awareness and motivation around voting ahead of the election among all voters and for having the most trusted opinions among black voters.(RELATED: LeBron James Calls Colin Kaepernick A ‘Generational’ Athlete)

Pop star Taylor Swift came in second with 13 percent followed by Johnson at 9 percent and Winfrey with six percent. Stars like Cardi B, Beyoncé and Colin Kaepernick were tied with five percent.

For Gen Z voters, the numbers were similar except it was Kanye West who took the third spot behind LeBron and the “Me!” hitmaker with 11 percent.

According to the report:

Overall, 12 percent of voters reported that an entertainer or athlete influenced their thinking regarding the election. Influence is higher among Black voters (28 percent), Hispanic/Latino voters (20 percent), LGBTQ (17 percent), Gen Z and Millennials (both 17 percent). Down the party line, Democratic voters are more likely to be influenced by athletes or entertainers than Republican voters at 17 percent to 9 percent.

Kid Rock was named as the most influential voice for Republican voters with 46 percent of the vote, followed by rocker Ted Nugent at 43 percent and Tom Hanks with 42 percent.

But when it comes to all voters, the “Castaway” star was named as the person whose opinion was trusted the most regarding political or social issues in America, followed by “The Rock” and Oprah.