Monica Lewinsky announces presidential endorsement just before the election

Former White House intern and anti-bullying activist Monica Lewinsky endorsed the Democratic presidential nomination Sunday, adding her voice to a growing list of influential women contributing to one of the most closely watched elections in recent American history.

Lewinsky, 51, announced her choice on X on Sunday, sharing a smiling selfie with an “I Voted” sticker with her 1.1 million followers. “PLEASE VOTE!” she wrote in the widely shared post, which has been viewed nearly 13 million times, adding, “(preferably like I did for harris/walz).”

Newsweek reached out to Harris’ campaign for comment via email on Sunday.

The activist joins a growing group of prominent women supporting the vice president Kamala Harrisincluded Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Cardi B, Kerry WashingtonAnd Jennifer Lopez.

The announcement comes at a critical time, with the latest New York Times/Siena College polI show that Harris has a small lead over the former president Donald Trump about different battle states.

The expanded poll, which surveyed 7,879 likely voters in seven swing states, puts Harris three points ahead in Nevada, two points in North Carolina and Wisconsin, one point in Georgiaand effectively connected Pennsylvania. Trump has a four-point lead in Arizona and leads slightly in Michigan.

The high-stakes battle has intensified in recent days, especially around female voters, who polls show are becoming increasingly important to Harris’ campaign.

Women voters outnumber men in casting their ballots nationally and in all seven battleground states NBC News’ tracker of early voting results. Of the more than 58 million mail-in and early in-person votes cast nationally, 54 percent were cast by women and 44 percent by men.

Trump’s recent statement at a campaign rally: “I’m going to do it whether the women like it or not. I’m going to protect them,” sparked swift criticism from Harris. “There’s a saying that you should listen to people when they tell you who they are,” Harris told supporters. “He does not believe that women should have the freedom of choice and authority to make decisions about their own bodies.”

According to the University of Florida Education Lab, more than 70 million Americans have already voted by mail or in person before Election Day. The New York Times/Siena College poll analysis, conducted between Oct. 24 and Nov. 2 with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 points per state, suggests late-deciding voters are choosing Harris.

Among recent decision makers, 55 percent support Harris, compared to 44 percent for Trump, although neither candidate has crossed the 50 percent threshold in any state.

The poll, from one of America’s most trusted polling organizations, is ranked first out of 282 pollsters by aggregator 538 with an A+ grade from analyst Nate Silver.