WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla — Across the country, young conservatives are reacting to the death of Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA. Kirk built one of the most powerful student-driven conservative groups in America, drawing millions of young people into politics over the past decade.
When she was 17, Aubrey Moore was inspired to become a political activist, and she said Kirk provided the spark.
“We all idolized him. He was a great inspiration to all of us. He’d get on stage and the electricity was sent through the building,” Moore said.
Moore met Kirk twice during her time as an Ambassador with Turning Point USA, the conservative organization that brought together young people across the country.
“You’d sit and talk to him and he was just so excited to talk to you and anything related to the movement and Gen Z,” Moore said.
Through Turning Point USA, Moore traveled to political events and was part of an outreach trip to Israel.
Since its founding in 2012, Turning Point USA has become a prominent presence on college campuses and social media. The group now claims more than 3,000 chapters nationwide, stages high-profile conferences, and has become a major voice in Republican politics. Kirk was credited by allies with helping energize young conservatives and playing a role in President Donald Trump’s 2024 election victory.
Outspoken Florida congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna, who was also involved in Turning Point USA as a young activist, said she blames hateful rhetoric from the left for Kirk’s killing.
“He’s my friend. He’s part of the reason I’m in office right now. It’s awful that it’s taking this type of stuff to happen very publicly for people to realize what they are doing is wrong,” Luna said.
Many of Kirk’s supporters, including Moore, said they were shocked when they first heard the news.
“We are still getting over the shock and the real sadness is starting to hit. All I can think about is Erica and their two children and how difficult it must be,” Moore said.
In 2020, Moore ran a TikTok page called The Republican Hype House, which eventually gained 1.2 million followers. The account teamed up with The Liberal Hype House page to create video duets and live streams that raised money for coronavirus relief.
“There is such a stereotype of the right hates the left and the left hates the right. And I think if we break that especially with these upcoming generations we may have some more peaceful elections,” Moore said in 2020.
TikTok later banned both pages, and in the years since, the political divide in the United States has only deepened. Still, Moore believes Kirk’s message will endure.
“There’s fire in the community right now. You take someone that speaks truth away and you create millions more,” Moore said.
Turning Point USA has vowed to continue Kirk’s work, calling him a visionary who gave a generation of conservatives the confidence to speak out.
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