Turning Point USA reportedly plans to get an early start in efforts to ensure that Vice President JD Vance becomes the Republican Party's 2028 presidential nominee.
The Los Angeles Times reported Sunday that Turning Point, the influential youth-oriented conservative organization founded by the late Charlie Kirk, is preparing to deploy representatives across all 99 Iowa counties in the coming months to build a campaign-style infrastructure well ahead of the first-in-the-nation caucuses.
The goal, insiders told the newspaper, is to help Vance secure an early advantage that could discourage a crowded Republican primary and "short-circuit" a potentially divisive nomination process.
The effort comes after Kirk was killed by an assassin in September, nearly a year after his movement helped President Donald Trump return to power.
Now TPUSA appears poised to channel that same grassroots energy into ensuring the next chapter of the America First coalition is led by Vance.
The Daily Caller, citing the Times report, said Turning Point is positioning "boots on the ground" in Iowa to shore up support for Vance nearly three years ahead of the 2028 election.
The outlet noted that Iowa remains a crucial proving ground for presidential contenders, despite a relatively small delegate count, because it functions as the first major test of organizational strength and voter enthusiasm.
At TPUSA's annual AmericaFest gathering in Arizona this month, Vance delivered a forward-looking speech emphasizing party unity and an expanding coalition — a message that aligned with the organization's goal of avoiding internal GOP warfare.
"Every American is invited," Vance told the crowd, urging conservatives not to get trapped in "endless, self-defeating purity tests."
He framed the movement as one of "free thinkers" rather than "drones" while blasting Democrats and warning that Republicans are already planning for 2028.
A pivotal moment came when Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk's widow and now Turning Point's CEO, endorsed Vance publicly.
She told the crowd the group is "locked in and mission-focused" for both 2026 and 2028, laying out a strategy of investing in states and building a "red wall" in battleground regions.
Her most direct line was her promise: "We are going to get my husband's friend JD Vance elected for '28 in the most resounding way possible."
The Times reported that an AmericaFest straw poll found 84% of attendees backed Vance.
However, broader public polling shows the race could still be fluid.
A CNN poll cited by the Times found Vance held a plurality of Republican support at 22%, with other potential candidates in the single digits, while 64% said they had no one specific in mind.
That suggests plenty of room for future rivals to emerge, even if Turning Point hopes to clear the field.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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