Charlie Kirk's widow, Erika, told a Turning Point USA crowd that the group is "mission-focused" to ensure Republicans retain control of Congress next year and that Vice President JD Vance is elected to succeed President Donald Trump "in the most resounding way possible" in 2028.
Speaking at Turning Point USA's AmericaFest gathering in Phoenix on Thursday, Erika Kirk — now the organization's chief executive — framed the moment as "full circle," recalling how her late husband stood on the same stage two years ago and offered his life to the cause.
With her prepared remarks wiped out by an iPad malfunction, she ad-libbed while underscoring that the movement Charlie Kirk built will press forward with renewed intensity.
Erika Kirk laid out an aggressive political road map that blends the grassroots activism Turning Point is known for with an explicit electoral mission.
"We are locked in and mission-focused for both 2026 and 2028," she told the crowd, describing a strategy of "investing in states and not just in races" and building a "red wall" in key battlegrounds including Arizona, Nevada, and New Hampshire.
Her most headline-grabbing line was a blunt declaration of support for Vance in the next presidential cycle.
"We are going to get my husband's friend JD Vance elected for '28 in the most resounding way possible," Erika Kirk said.
The Hill also reported Erika Kirk's endorsement as it noted the already-early jockeying around the post-Trump GOP field.
Other outlets similarly described her remarks as a formal early boost for Vance from one of the conservative movement's most influential youth organizations.
Erika Kirk paired the political push with a surge-in-the-ranks message meant to show Turning Point's expanding footprint after Charlie Kirk's death.
She cited internal figures that she said reflected both growth and new energy: A large majority of attendees at the conference were first-timers, roughly one-third were students, and women made up more than half of those in attendance.
She also touted a massive pipeline of activist engagement, saying Turning Point has surpassed 1 million students involved and is building chapters at a rapid clip while urging students to organize on their campuses and churchgoers to demand "biblical citizenship" from pastors.
Erika Kirk also promised a return to campus debate culture, a signature of her husband's brand, including a new "Pick Up the Mic" initiative and more "Prove Me Wrong" events.
She said conservatives win by showing up, arguing confidently, and refusing to retreat from hostile environments.
Her overall message to the attendees was to honor Charlie Kirk's legacy not with nostalgia, but with organization, turnout, and victories — first in 2026 to protect Trump's governing agenda and then in 2028 to keep the White House in Republican hands.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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