Unveiled: The Hat Behind Harris-Walz’s Winning Strategy!

On Tuesday, the duo unveiled their first joint merchandise offering shortly after Harris announced Walz, the Minnesota governor and hunting enthusiast, as her vice-presidential running mate. The “Harris-Walz” cap features a classic outdoorsy design with a camouflage pattern and bright orange accents—a combination familiar to hunters for its visibility and protection against mistaken identity.

However, the design has sparked a conversation online due to its striking resemblance to Chappell Roan’s own merchandise, specifically her “Midwestern Princess” trucker hats. These hats reference her debut album, “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess,” and have become popular among her fans. Known for her drag-inspired makeup, theatrical stage presence, and candid lyrics about her sexuality, Roan has become a Gen-Z favorite. She recently drew the largest crowd in Lollapalooza festival history in Chicago.

Following the announcement of Walz as Harris’ running mate, there were calls for the vice-presidential nominee, hailing from West Point, Nebraska, to don one of Roan’s caps. In response, the campaign’s online store listing stated, “You asked, we answered,” which some interpret as a nod to the resemblance between the two designs. Chappell Roan herself expressed surprise at the similarity, posing the question on X, “is this real?”

Campaign officials, however, told CNN that the new merchandise was not directly inspired by Chappell Roan. Instead, it reflected Walz’s own frequent use of a camo hat as governor. He was even wearing it when Harris invited him to join the presidential ticket. Nonetheless, the overlap between Walz’s hat and Roan’s merch comes shortly after Harris embraced Charli XCX’s “Brat” green, which some see as another example of her campaign quickly tapping into Gen-Z trends.

The “Midwestern Princess” trucker hats, designed by Roan’s creative director Ramisha Sattar, have gained popularity as the Missouri-born musician’s cult following transitions into the mainstream. Despite being released last September, “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” has proven to be a sleeper hit, currently sitting at number four on the Billboard 200 album chart.

This inadvertent alignment with the Democratic Party’s themes of appearing cool by association and engaging with viral meme culture strengthens Harris’ campaign credentials among young voters. The internet was quick to respond, with Roan reposting a user’s humorous observation about her LGBTQ following: “How gay do u have to be to see hunting colors and think it’s a Chappell Roan thing.” Others joked about the unique crossover moment when “queer millennials/zoomers who like Chappell Roan and white boomers into hunting and fishing (see) each other wearing the camo Harris Walz hat.”

Perhaps that’s the message here. Creating merchandise that resonates with both the hunting community and Gen-Z hypebeasts sends a powerful signal that the Democratic ticket is a diverse coalition. The cap’s other messaging is clear: It proudly claims to be both “American made” and “union made.” At $40, the Harris-Walz hats are $10 more expensive than Roan’s, though the additional cost is treated as a donation to the Harris Victory Fund.

In bold fashion, the online shop describes the Harris-Walz cap as “the most iconic hat in America.” Whether it can surpass Trump’s iconic red MAGA hats remains to be seen. However, with shipments not expected until mid-October, the cap’s success will depend on its ability to capture the public’s imagination and foster unity across diverse cultural landscapes.