Reuters
[Source: Reuters]
The Trump White House is scrambling to preserve the powerful voter mobilization machine built by Charlie Kirk, whose assassination left a leadership vacuum at one of the right’s most influential political organizations, two sources familiar with the matter said.
Behind the scenes, the White House has held “preliminary discussions” about Vice President JD Vance engaging directly with young voters, a third source familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, was credited by President Donald Trump with helping boost his support among young voters in last year’s presidential election – especially young men, where Trump’s share jumped to 46%, up seven points from 2020.
Youth voter turnout will be critical in next year’s midterms, when Republicans will be fighting to retain control of Congress in what is expected to be a bruising election.
Turning Point announced on Thursday that Kirk’s widow, Erika, a businesswoman who shares her late husband’s Christian faith and conservative beliefs, would become its new CEO. She had vowed in a video address immediately after his death to double down on her husband’s mission to win over young Americans to conservative causes.
Still, Kirk’s death has left Turning Point without its most influential and charismatic spokesman and his unrivaled ability to draw huge crowds on campuses across the U.S. even as he divided public opinion with remarks about Black Americans, LGBTQ+ communities, Muslims and immigrants.
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