Charlie Kirk’s mission was to spread a conservative ideologies. Since his death, it could be said mission accomplished.
Kirk, 31, was a conservative political activist who was assassinated on the Utah Valley University campus on Sept. 10.
Since his death, interest in Turning Point USA, the organization he co-founded has grown exponentially.
“In the past 2 weeks, TPUSA has received 121,000+ requests from high school and college students nationwide to start a chapter or get involved with an existing chapter,” the organization posted on X Wednesday.
On Sept. 18, a post read, “In the past 8 days, TPUSA has received 62,000+ requests from high school and college students nationwide to start a chapter or get involved with an existing chapter.”
The University of Missouri chapter is new this semester, but was formed before Kirk’s death.
Chapter President Paige Schulte said there has been more interest in membership.
“We just started it this semester, so before what happened with Charlie Kirk, we had about 30 members, and now we’re about at 200,” Schulte said.
“Charlie’s vision to have a Club America chapter (our high school brand) in every high school in America (around 23,000) will come true much, much faster than he could have ever possibly imagined,” Andrew Kolvet, executive producer of “The Charlie Kirk Show,” said, adding the response to expand chapters is “truly incredible.”
Judah Waxelbaum, a former campus activist at Arizona State University for Republican causes, said that the assassination awoke a “sleeping giant.
“Turning Point’s not going anywhere. Turning Point, I think, will probably actually get significantly larger in the wake of what happened to Charlie,” he said. “You couldn’t do youth politics in Arizona, really anywhere in the United States without coming across Charlie Kirk.”
Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, has also boosted membership when she urged people to get involved on TPUSA’s YouTube page.
“To all of the young people who felt inspired by my husband’s faith in hard work, all of you already know what Charlie would want you to do,” she said.
“If you’re in high school or if you’re in college, go find your local Turning Point USA chapter. Join it. Stay involved. He wants you to make a difference. And you can. You can. The movement’s not going anywhere. And it will only grow stronger when you join it,” she continued.
“If there isn’t a chapter, you can’t find one, then start one. There is no excuse. Start one.”
