In Phoenix, young ultra-conservatives seek to carry on Charlie Kirk's legacy
Young far-right activists in Arizona are trying to continue the work of slain conservative leader Charlie Kirk. His organisation, Turning Point USA, is preparing for the midterms while facing internal rifts and slipping support for Trump among young voters.
In Phoenix, the capital of the US state of Arizona, young ultra-conservative activists are trying to carry on the legacy of Charlie Kirk, an influential conservative youth leader. Kirk was fatally shot on 10 September 2025 at a speaking event at a Utah college. He had founded Turning Point USA, a powerful ultra-conservative youth organisation. As the US midterm congressional elections approach, the group is trying to turn its network into votes for Republican candidates.
Online debates in Kirk's style
In the Phoenix suburbs, Carson Carpenter, a 21-year-old political science graduate of Arizona State University, hosted a TikTok live stream titled "Liberals debate me one-on-one". He has about 19,000 followers. Carpenter uses tactics Kirk popularised: provocative questions, assertive positions and pushing opponents onto the defensive. Under Kirk's "Prove Me Wrong" concept, students were invited to challenge his ideas on camera. Carpenter, a former president of the university's College Republicans chapter, worked closely with Kirk and now heads Off The Record USA, a right-wing media brand.
The event at Paradise Valley Park
The next day, Turning Point USA held its "CleanUp America" cleanup and community festival at Paradise Valley Park. Participants handed out red caps reading "Make America Clean Again", a nod to Donald Trump's slogan. Several minutes of prayer were held in Kirk's memory. Activist Taylor Sharp, who has more than 168,000 Instagram followers, said Kirk was the only person holding the MAGA movement together, and that he does not yet see a replacement. Divisions are growing within the movement over issues such as Israel and anti-Semitism. Daniel Fisher, a strategy director at the organisation, regards Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, as his natural heir. She became the organisation's president after her husband's killing.
Electoral challenges
Turning Point USA, which says it has more than 1,500 campus chapters, is backing Andy Biggs in Arizona. Biggs is a Trump ally running for governor against Democratic incumbent Katie Hobbs. Some Republicans criticise the group for backing candidates too radical for moderate voters. A Pew Research Center study found that only 49% of Trump's 2024 voters aged 19 to 34 still approved of his actions in October. Carpenter, though a MAGA supporter, admitted disappointment in the president and expects Republicans to lose in the midterms.
