Erika Kirk, widow of the late Charlie Kirk, now leads Turning Point USA and is accelerating outreach to young conservative women by combining traditional family messaging with lifestyle and faith-focused appeals. Students such as Camdyn Glover and Stella Ross describe Turning Point as a political and cultural refuge after feeling marginalized on campus. Polling shows a widening gender gap among voters under 30 that the organization hopes to narrow, though critics contend its emphasis on traditional roles risks alienating many women.
Erika Kirk Takes the Helm: Turning Point USA Recruits Young Conservative Women
Attendees stand during Turning Point USA's AmericaFest 2025, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
PHOENIX — Turning Point USA’s first conference since the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk in September drew a visibly larger contingent of young women, many of whom say the organization has become both a political and cultural home. Under the leadership of Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk’s widow, the conservative group is intensifying outreach to women on college campuses — blending traditional family messaging with lifestyle, faith and health themes that resonate online.
A Place to Belong
Camdyn Glover, 18, says she once kept her conservative views quiet for fear of social and academic consequences. After Charlie Kirk’s death — which she recalls as a turning point — she became more outspoken. Traveling to the Phoenix conference with her family, Glover described Turning Point as a community where she finally feels accepted.
An attendee prays during Turning Point USA's AmericaFest 2025, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
“We can’t be silenced,” she said. “They want to promote a strong, independent woman who holds these values and can stand up for herself. But it’s also OK to do it in heels, put some makeup on, wear a dress.”
Erika Kirk: A New Messenger
Erika Kirk, a former beauty pageant winner and longtime public presence at Turning Point events, has taken on an expanded leadership role since her husband’s death. She has worked as a model, actress and casting director, founded a Christian clothing line and runs a ministry focused on the Bible. At a memorial for her husband she vowed the organization would be made “10 times greater through the power of his memory.”
Supporters say Erika Kirk’s background — including pursuing career experiences before meeting her husband — gives her credibility when speaking to women about choices involving career, family and faith.
Attendees listen during Turning Point USA's AmericaFest 2025, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
The Political Challenge: A Growing Gender Gap
Turning Point’s push to recruit women comes as polls show a widening partisan gap between young men and women. A Gallup analysis and AP VoteCast data cited in coverage show younger women have trended more liberal on issues such as abortion, climate and guns: in the last presidential contest, 57% of male voters under 30 backed Donald Trump, compared with 41% of women under 30.
Turning Point has responded by hosting events like the Young Women’s Leadership Summit and promoting messages that emphasize traditional family structures and gender roles. Earlier this year, Charlie Kirk drew controversy by suggesting that women whose priority is finding a husband might treat college like an “MRS degree.”
Attendees listen during Turning Point USA's AmericaFest 2025, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Support, Criticism, And Internal Tensions
Not all conservative women embrace Turning Point’s approach. Influencer Raquel Debono described a recent event as a “Stepford wives conference,” saying its imagery and emphasis on homemaking can feel exclusionary to working women. Debono has launched her own group, Make America Hot Again, to offer a different, more socially oriented path for women to engage with conservative politics.
Observers note there is a balancing act for Turning Point: recruiting new female members without alienating those who reject a strictly traditional view of gender roles. Some analysts believe Erika Kirk could be more persuasive to young women because she can speak from personal experience about career and family choices.
Erika Kirk speaks during Turning Point USA's AmericaFest 2025, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Campus Impact Since the Shooting
Several campus chapters report a surge of interest in the wake of the shooting. Aubree Hudson, 22, president of the Turning Point chapter at Brigham Young University, was near the Utah Valley University event where Charlie Kirk was shot and said women’s involvement jumped “big time” afterward. Emma Paskett, 18, and others have cited Erika Kirk as an inspiring figure and signed up to take leadership roles in campus chapters.
The organization now faces the task of converting heightened interest into sustained engagement while navigating debates over how forcefully to promote traditional gender roles. Whether Turning Point’s new direction will narrow the gender gap among young voters remains an open question — one that will play out on campuses and in future elections.
Associated Press writer Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux contributed to this report from Washington.
