The assassination of Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, has created a leadership void that allies believe will significantly impact Republican chances in the upcoming midterm elections, despite a surge in grassroots activity and organizational growth. Kirk was murdered on September 10, 2025.
Andrew Kolvet, a spokesperson for Turning Point USA and a close friend of Kirk's, stated that while the organization has seen unprecedented expansion since Kirk's death, navigating the current political landscape without his influence presents considerable challenges. "Everything within Turning Point, all the different programs, the verticals, everything’s growing … it’s kind of bursting at the seams," Kolvet told The Post. He noted substantial increases in field programs, social media engagement, media production, church partnerships, and voter outreach efforts.
According to internal documents, Turning Point USA has experienced a 180% increase in high school clubs and a 64% growth in college chapters. More than two-thirds of attendees at the 2026 Chapter Leadership Summit became involved only after Kirk's death. The organization, founded by Kirk in 2012, now reports over a million donors and more than 1,200 employees.
Kolvet attributed this growth to Kirk's legacy and the dedication of the team he built, emphasizing that "everybody’s just been working their fingers to the bone trying to make sure we don’t squander any of this momentum that Charlie gave his life for." Turning Point has established a regional headquarters in Nevada and is focusing on key battleground states including Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Georgia, Michigan, and Iowa, aiming to replicate successful get-out-the-vote efforts from the 2024 presidential election in Arizona and Wisconsin.
However, Cliff Maloney, head of the voter contact group Citizens Alliance and a friend of Kirk's, expressed concern about the party's direction without Kirk's leadership. "Charlie’s loss created a lot of missteps for Republicans," Maloney said, adding that Kirk was a "main driver" of Republican thought and action, shaping the party's message and policy direction. Maloney believes Kirk's absence will "100%" cost Republicans votes in the midterms.
Kolvet acknowledged that while internal metrics show growth, the organization recognizes a broader sense of disillusionment among young people with politics in general, including conservative politics. He cited factors such as the war in Iran, the release of information regarding Jeffrey Epstein, economic challenges like inflation and the 2008 financial crisis, rising housing costs, and the impact of artificial intelligence as contributing to this sentiment. "This is a generation that’s faced a lot of structural challenges," Kolvet said. He fears that political disengagement could lead some toward socialist ideologies.
Kolvet suggested that Kirk would likely be frustrated by internal party conflicts and any perceived setbacks in engaging young voters, emphasizing Kirk's focus on unity and the pursuit of national goals over intra-party disputes. "He would be working his tail off to kind of bring people back to understanding that we have to be focused on fighting for the country, not fighting each other, and fighting to win in the midterms."