(NewsNation) — Conservative activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA, Charlie Kirk, 31, was shot and killed Wednesday at an outdoor event at Utah Valley University.
Kirk has been a fixture in the Republican Party, and his Turning Point USA movement has taken him to campuses across the country to debate students and spread his conservative values.
NewsNation political editor Chris Stirewalt tells “NewsNation Now” that Kirk’s influence on the GOP has been massive, in particular, his “extraordinary amount of success” in prying away younger male voters from the Left, which was instrumental in President Donald Trump’s successful 2024 election campaign.
Over the years, Kirk built a substantial social media following and developed close ties with Trump and several of his allies.
Stirewalt also noted Kirk has become a “mediating voice” in the Republican Party, bridging traditional conservative values with the more recent MAGA movement.