Over a quarter of young voters believe America is “better off” following the killing of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, according to a new survey.
The Napolitan News Service poll found that a staggering 26% of those aged 18 to 34 answered “yes” to the question: “While it is always difficult to wish ill of another human being, is America better off now that Charlie Kirk has been killed?” Among Democrats, 24% also responded affirmatively.
Kirk was shot and killed on Wednesday while speaking to students at an event at Utah Valley University, leaving behind a wife and two young children. The man accused of killing Kirk reportedly lived with a transgender-identifying “partner,” and bullet casings from the assassin’s rifle were inscribed with phrases such as “Hey fascist! Catch!” and “If you read this you are gay LMAO.”
The survey also found that 31% of respondents who identify with Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s policies believe the country is better off following Kirk’s death. Across all respondents, 15% answered affirmatively to the prompt, 67% said no and 18% were unsure.
Just 38% of Democrats said they had prayed for Kirk, his wife and children, compared to 75% of Republicans and 55% overall.
Among the Democrats surveyed, 31% said Republicans were more responsible for political violence in America, while 35% of Republicans answered that Democrats were more to blame. Overall, 66% of respondents said no single party is more responsible, with 18% pointing to Democrats and 15% to Republicans.
Thirty-six percent of Democrats said the Republican Party played a role in encouraging Kirk’s assassination, while 29% cited anti-Trump rhetoric. Those numbers are 35% and 32% respectively if you include voters who “lean” Democratic.
Just 24% of Democrats identified the media as partly responsible, compared with 42% of Republicans.
Among Republicans, 57% described Kirk’s assassination as a “significant turning point in American history,” compared with 40% of all respondents and 26% of Democrats.
The survey was conducted between Sept. 12 and 13 among 1,000 registered voters.
Earlier polling has shown similar trends. An April poll found that 48% and 55% of left-of-center people believed murdering Tesla CEO Elon Musk and President Donald Trump are at least somewhat justified. Additionally, a recent Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression survey found that over a third of college-aged students are open to the use of violence to stop a campus speech.
A growing number of people have faced professional consequences for vitriolic behavior and celebratory social media posts in the wake of Kirk’s murder. The Army suspended a reserve officer who cheered on Kirk’s assassination while making threatening statements towards Trump and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. Office Depot fired an employee who refused to print a poster for a Charlie Kirk vigil, calling it “propaganda.”
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact [email protected].
