Despite a cold, driving rain that soaked the campus of the University of Mississippi, thousands of supporters braved the weather on Wednesday night to fill the Sandy and John Black Pavilion for a Turning Point USA event. The arena, which holds 9,500 for basketball games, reached capacity with extra seats added on the floor. Many in the crowd wore red “Make America Great Again” or “Trump 47” hats, lining up hours early to hear Vice President JD Vance and Erika Kirk, widow of the organization’s late founder, Charlie Kirk.
The event, part of the “This Is the Turning Point” tour, marked one of the group’s first major gatherings since Charlie Kirk’s assassination last month at Utah Valley University. Kirk, a 31-year-old conservative activist and close ally of Vance and President Donald Trump, was known for bringing energetic debates to college campuses. His death has sparked nationwide discussions about free speech, campus safety, and political violence.
Erika Kirk’s Emotional Tribute
Erika Kirk took the stage first, just after 6:30 p.m., wearing a white “Freedom” shirt. She delivered a heartfelt speech honoring her husband’s legacy and urging young conservatives to carry on his work. “You guys have no idea how helpful it is to have all of you in my life, because you helped me feel even more deeply connected to my husband,” she told the crowd. “You guys are the heartbeat of Turning Point USA.”
She emphasized that hope lies not in Washington or the media, but in the audience itself. “Each one of you in this room… when you earn your voice and you stand up for what is right, that is a part of your legacy, your family’s legacy, just as much as it is part of Charlie’s legacy,” she said. Since her husband’s killing, Erika has vowed to continue his message of patriotism, faith, and God’s love, declaring that his mission has only grown stronger.
Vance Speaks from the Heart and Takes Tough Questions
Vice President JD Vance followed, ditching prepared remarks to “speak from the heart” in tribute to his friend. The 41-year-old Vance, who rose to prominence with Kirk’s early support during his 2022 Ohio Senate primary, recalled a tense phone call from Kirk months before his death. Kirk had expressed concerns about Trump’s Middle East policies potentially leading to prolonged U.S. military involvement.
“It’s about having the trust in another human being that you can tell them they’re wrong,” Vance said, calling it a model of true friendship and principled debate.
Echoing Kirk’s campus style, Vance opened the floor to student questions on hot-button issues like religion, immigration, and party loyalty. On prayer in public schools, he defended his Christian faith: “I make no apologies for believing that Christianity is a pathway to God… but I’m not going to force you to believe in anything, because that’s not what God wants, and that’s not what I want.”
A young woman challenged him on his interfaith marriage—his wife, Usha Vance, is Hindu—and his push to reduce legal immigration. Vance responded with sarcasm that drew laughs: “I’m going to finish answering the question, and then, you know, if I’ve answered all nine of your questions in less than 15 minutes…” He argued for lower immigration levels to rebuild a “common community,” asking rhetorically, “What is the exact number of immigrants America should accept in the future? Right now, the answer is far less than we’ve been accepting.”
Another student questioned Trump’s efforts to unseat Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) in a primary. Vance, who knew Massie before politics, explained: “Being independent… is one thing. It’s not one issue; it’s that every time that we’ve needed Thomas for a vote, he has been completely unwilling to provide it.”
Vance also urged the crowd to build meaningful lives: “Fall in love, get married, and start a family,” while getting involved in politics to “save America.” He praised Kirk for inspiring young people to stand firm in their beliefs and defend free expression on campuses.
Broader Impact and Political Ties
The event highlighted Turning Point USA’s growing influence in Republican politics, with Vance as its highest-profile advocate. Young male voters were key to Trump’s 2024 victory, and analysts see similar potential for Vance in a 2028 presidential run. Trump has repeatedly named Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as MAGA heirs, saying this week they’d be “unstoppable” as a ticket. The Ole Miss crowd chanted “48! 48!”—signaling their hope for Vance as the 48th president.
Vance has led the administration’s response to Kirk’s death, supporting public shaming of those who celebrated it online and pushing action against groups accused of inciting violence.
Counter-Protests and Campus Divide
Not everyone welcomed the event. A short walk away, over 100 people attended a “Mississippi Rise Up Town Hall” hosted by progressive student groups in the student union. Speakers included U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), who criticized Vance for abandoning his working-class roots from Hillbilly Elegy. A Ole Miss professor on Turning Point’s “watchlist” for alleged anti-conservative bias spoke of receiving death threats. University officials boosted security, and counter-protests were planned amid tensions over the group’s rhetoric.
Student Reactions
Attendees left energized. Freshman Ann Charles Sutton, a political science major, praised Vance’s rhetoric: “The way he forms his arguments is so seamless and effortless… I want to be able to learn from that.” Another freshman, Ellie Van Rossum, had tickets before Kirk’s death and appreciated the debates.
In a divided campus and nation, the rainy night in Oxford showed Charlie Kirk’s movement enduring—through grief, debate, and unwavering conservative energy.
