After Charlie Kirk’s murder, some Republicans talk revival as others seek retribution

For prominent Republicans, the two main reactions to the assassination of Charlie Kirk have been a resolve to continue his conservative political organizing work and, for some, a push to blame — in the words of President Trump — “radical-left lunatics.”

The contrasting views were most notably on display at the close of Kirk’s memorial service in a stadium filled to capacity in Arizona on Sunday, where Kirk’s widow, Erika, gave an emotional remembrance grounded in the faith of her husband who “wanted to save young men, just like the one who took his life.”

“On the cross, our savior said: ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,'” Kirk said. “That man — that young man — I forgive him. I forgive him because it’s what Christ did. And it’s what Charlie would do.”

Kirk went on to say that “the answer to hate is not hate. The answer — we know from the Gospel — is love.”

For most of the memorial, Kirk’s friends, allies and supporters spoke about the growth of his conservative operation from an idea in 2012 into one of the most influential organizations in modern politics, emphasizing his personal character and a vision rooted in their shared faith for carrying on his work.

While President Trump described Kirk a “missionary with a noble spirit,” he said he disagreed with his views on those with different opinions.

“He did not hate his opponents, he wanted the best for them,” Trump said. “That’s where I disagreed with Charlie. I hate my opponent. I don’t want the best for them.”

In the days since Kirk was shot and killed on the campus of Utah Valley University, Kirk’s legacy as a youth organizer and evangelizer of conservative politics and conservative Christianity has taken on a new life, with tens of thousands of new requests to create chapters of his Turning Point group on high school and college campuses, the organization says.

Erika Kirk is taking over as the leader of Turning Point, and prominent Republican figures like Vice President Vance and broadcaster Tucker Carlson have stepped in to host The Charlie Kirk Show, remembering their friend and vowing to advance his causes forward.

Some see Kirk’s death as Democrats’ fault

Kirk’s killing has also led to an escalation of rhetoric and action from the Trump administration and Republican lawmakers who have painted their ideological opponents as radical forces of evil that have harmed the country.

On Kirk’s podcast last week, Vance said political violence is “not a both-sides problem” and blamed the “incredibly destructive movement of left-wing extremism” for the attack allegedly carried out by a lone shooter.

Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller suggested that the federal government would “identify, disrupt, dismantle and destroy” left-wing networks that he blamed without evidence for fomenting violence, and Trump vowed to label the nebulous left-wing “antifa” ideological movement a “major terrorist organization.”

On Sunday night, President Trump hailed Kirk as a “martyr,” which others like like onetime Trump advisor Steve Bannon have echoed. Pro-Trump influencer Chaya Raichick, who runs the “Libs of TikTok” social media account wrote “THIS IS WAR.” And lawmakers like Wisconsin GOP Rep. Derrick Van Orden compared Kirk’s killing as a catalyst similar to Sept. 11 and that he would “not allow these leftist scumbags to take my country.”

Prominent online voices on the right have called for people who have made social media posts criticizing Kirk or mocking his death to lose their jobs or face investigation, including the vice president telling people to “call them out and, hell, call their employer.”

The president and his Federal Communications Chairman Brendan Carr are facing questions about freedom of speech protections after Carr threatened ABC over remarks made by late night host Jimmy Kimmel about Kirk’s killing in a monologue last week. ABC took Kimmel’s show off the air in a move some legal experts say is illegal “jawboning,” when government officials pressure private companies to suppress speech.

Beyond specific feelings of spiritual resolve or political retribution, Republicans have begun to sour on America’s future.

A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research conducted Sept. 11-15 finds a sharp decline in Republican optimism in the direction of the country, especially among women and young conservatives.

Overall, only half of those in the GOP say the country is heading in the right direction, a seismic shift eight months into Trump’s return to office, as concerns about political violence, immigration and the economy weigh over the Republican-controlled Washington.