What Charlie Kirk’s death means for Arizona

Read in browser

Your Week with AZCentral

A SPOTLIGHT ON THE JOURNALISM YOUR SUBSCRIPTION HELPS BRING TO LIFE.

Fri Sep 12 2025

Hey readers,

Charlie Kirk’s assassination on Wednesday rocked the world. Though he was a provocative, sometimes polarizing public figure, no one expected the 31-year-old from Arizona to be felled by a sniper’s bullet.

His work in bringing young people to the Republican Party was cited as a major reason President Donald Trump was reelected to a second term. His passion was engaging with young people on college campuses, in his signature “Prove Me Wrong” format.

At the Phoenix headquarters for his Turning Point movement, and along the route as his hearse arrived at the funeral home, young people in particular mourned the loss.

The Republic and azcentral’s reporting team talked to many people touched by Kirk this week and also provided a recap of his beliefs.

He approached much of his work under the banner of free speech and civic engagement, and in the wake of his death, many have come to view him as a martyr.

But critics have long called some of his views dangerous. Kirk embraced falsehoods alleging a rigged vote after the 2020 presidential election and said the American left has “always hated this country”. He was fiercely against abortion rights. He called the country’s landmark civil rights legislation “a mistake” and took hard-right views on LGBTQ+ issues. He urged young women to prioritize getting married and having children over their career ambitions.

This week, we talk with Republic politics reporter Laura Gersony about who Charlie Kirk was, how his organization shaped Arizona, and the impact of his sudden death on the state’s political future.

Here’s what she had to say:

President Trump will attend Charlie Kirk funeral in Arizona

‘We love you, Charlie’: Kirk remembered for his passion as hundreds come out to mourn

Who is Charlie Kirk? What to know about the Trump ally killed in Utah

‘Horrific act’: Here’s what politicians said about Charlie Kirk’s shooting

Mourners reflect on Charlie Kirk at Turning Point’s Phoenix headquarters

Charlie Kirk in his own words: What the conservative commentator believed

‘A political earthquake’

Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed this week at a Utah campus event. Why does his death matter so much in Arizona, and how did his organization shape politics here? Kirk’s assassination is nothing short of a political earthquake for Arizona and the nation.At just 31 years old, he had built Turning Point into a political behemoth and, for many young voters, a household name. Every year the organization raised hundreds of millions of dollars in support of conservative candidates and causes. It had a presence on thousands of high school and college campuses. And Kirk himself amassed a following of millions, especially for his viral “prove me wrong” videos challenging those he disagreed with to a debate.Kirk and Turning Point have seen a dazzling political ascent over the last decade or so, trailing enemies and acolytes. In Arizona, they waged campaigns against elected officials and candidates who they deemed insufficiently loyal to Trump, helping to pull the party towards the president’s style of populism. They picked those fights aggressively and, often, they won. Turning Point and its allies later took this strategy nationwide, helping to oust the former national GOP chair Ronna McDaniel.

Who was Charlie Kirk?

Kirk’s death at 31 stunned both supporters and critics. For those who didn’t follow him closely, who was he — and what made him such an influential figure in conservative politics? By the time he died, Charlie Kirk was a top MAGA power broker and consummate opinion-maker within the GOP.He raised his national profile in 2016, delivering a speech at the Republican National Convention that year. His message at that point was mostly libertarian. His big applause line: “Big government sucks.”As the GOP evolved in the image of Trump’s more populist style, so did Kirk. His worldview eventually embraced Christian values with blunt critiques of race and social issues. These were often provocative, polarizing stances: He had a refrain that the 1964 Civil Rights Act was “a mistake,” and that Martin Luther King Jr. was “awful.”Those views made him notorious, even despised, by the American left. But the outrage, amusement, and provocation they sparked helped earn him acclaim on the political right.

Kirk’s influence

In recent elections, particularly 2024, how did Kirk and Turning Point influence turnout, candidate selection or messaging in Arizona?Turning Point is generally credited with pushing the Arizona Republican Party to the right in recent election cycles. The group has used its political heft to back candidates in Trump’s likeness during primary elections.Its critics within the GOP say it has backed candidates — like Blake Masters or Kari Lake — who would fare poorly in general elections, causing the party to lose statewide races. Its supporters say it is helping to wrest power from an out-of-touch, McCain-era conservative old guard.

Turning Point’s future

With Kirk gone, what questions remain about the future of Turning Point’s Arizona operations and its impact on the state’s politics heading into 2026 and beyond? It is difficult to imagine Turning Point without Kirk. He founded the organization when he was only 18 and has led it ever since.It’s unclear who, if anyone, could fill his shoes. He had powerful friends across the country: Donald Trump Jr., the president’s son, comes to mind. There are also powerful Arizonans in his orbit. Tyler Bowyer, the party activist who was involved in Arizona’s fake elector plot, was Kirk’s longtime right-hand man and COO. Kari Lake, the two-time Arizona GOP candidate now serving in the Trump administration, is also a Turning Point ally. There’s also Kirk’s wife, Erika, a fellow staunch conservative who he leaves behind with two young kids.Whoever succeeds Kirk will not only inherit the responsibility of running the organization, but they’ll also have power over the massive fundraising apparatus he built.In the coming weeks and months, we’ll be tracking how the president and Congress responds to Kirk’s assassination. Trump has already been pointing to violent crime as a justification for his second-term agenda, pushing the limits of executive power and blurring legal rules to carry out a crackdown on migrants and crime. In many parts of the GOP, Kirk’s killing created fresh appetite to ramp up that agenda.

What to expect from us next week

In the next week, The Republic will provide more info about Kirk’s Christian faith, the tributes planned for him and what’s next for the organization he founded and nurtured. Our reporters will follow the ripple effects of his death. As one woman told reporter Brandon Loomis, violence won’t quiet Kirk’s voice.

Charlie Kirk was a political dynamo ― and a daddy

Conservative leader Charlie Kirk was shot and killed during a political event at a Utah college. He leaves behind a wife and two young children.

READ MORE

Sign up for the news you want

Exclusive newsletters are part of your subscription, don’t miss out! We’re always working to add benefits for subscribers like you.

SEE ALL NEWSLETTERS ➔

Newsletters | eNewspaper | Crosswords

Problem viewing email? View in browser

Unsubscribe • Manage Newsletters • Terms of Service • Privacy Policy/Your California Privacy Rights • Privacy Notice • Do Not Sell My Info/Cookie Policy • Feedback

6 Trades. +200% Target Profits. One Weekend to Join.

5 benefits, 1 Bit.

RJ Hamster

What Charlie Kirk’s death means for Arizona

What Charlie Kirk’s death means for Arizona

Your Week with AZCentral

‘A political earthquake’

Who was Charlie Kirk?

Kirk’s influence

Turning Point’s future

What to expect from us next week

Charlie Kirk was a political dynamo ― and a daddy

Charlie Kirk shooting shakes media: ‘God help us’

Landmark Mexican restaurant closes after 3 decades

Delivery to prisons office led to man’s mistaken release

People demand Scottsdale school board member resign

Catch our coverage with a newsletter (free) subscription

Sign up for the news you want

Like this:

What Charlie Kirk’s death means for Arizona

What Charlie Kirk’s death means for Arizona

Your Week with AZCentral

‘A political earthquake’

Who was Charlie Kirk?

Kirk’s influence

Turning Point’s future

What to expect from us next week

Charlie Kirk was a political dynamo ― and a daddy

Charlie Kirk shooting shakes media: ‘God help us’

Landmark Mexican restaurant closes after 3 decades

Delivery to prisons office led to man’s mistaken release

People demand Scottsdale school board member resign

Catch our coverage with a newsletter (free) subscription

Sign up for the news you want

Share this:

Like this:

Related articles