Kirk's organization selects his widow as its new leader

Turning Point USA, the organization Charlie Kirk founded to mobilize young, Christian conservatives, has seen a massive surge in interest and support since the activist’s assassination last week.

- JILL COLVIN AND JONATHAN J. COOPER

Ross D. FRANKLIN Associated Press VICE President JD Vance, wife Usha, center, and Erika Kirk exit Air Force Two.

As conservatives mourn Kirk’s death, the group appears poised to remain a MAGA juggernaut as it plots its future without him.

The group’s board announced Thursday that Kirk’s widow, Erika, had been unanimously elected as its next leader and will serve as chief executive and board chair.

“This was what Charlie hoped for and wanted and he said so numerous times,” Tyler Bowyer, the group’s chief operating officer, said on social media. “Erika is one with Charlie and Charlie is one with Erika.”

Turning Point became a multimillion-dollar operation under Charlie Kirk's leadership, and was credited with helping to return Donald Trump to office.

Since Kirk’s killing, his podcast and social media have attracted millions of new followers. There has been an outpouring of interest in expanding Turning Point’s footprint on college and high school campuses, the group’s spokesperson says, and future large-scale events are continuing as planned.

“It will grow,” said Turning Point spokesperson Andrew Kolvet, who is also a producer of “The Charlie Kirk Show” podcast. “What we're seeing is that Charlie’s legacy will be much greater, broader, and bigger than we even realized in life.”

Trump told reporters in the Oval Office this week that through “this horrible act,” Turning Point “could be maybe bigger than it could have ever been had he been there.”

“And I will say this: He’d be very happy if he saw what was going on,” Trump said.

Unprecedented interest

Both Turning Point and Charlie Kirk’s other ventures have received unprecedented interest since he was killed.