Turning Point USA Chief Erika Kirk Vows Aggressive Campaign to Secure Vance’s 2028 Victory

Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk and current chief executive of Turning Point USA, declared at the organization’s AmericaFest gathering in Phoenix on Thursday that the group is “mission-focused” on ensuring Republicans retain control of Congress next year and that Vice President JD Vance will be elected to succeed Donald Trump “in the most resounding way possible” by 2028.

Speaking at the event, Kirk described the moment as a “full circle,” recalling how her late husband stood on the same stage two years ago. Despite an iPad malfunction wiping out her prepared remarks, she delivered a message of renewed intensity for the movement she helped build.

Kirk outlined an aggressive political roadmap that combines Turning Point’s grassroots activism with a clear electoral mission. “We are locked in and mission-focused for both 2026 and 2028,” she stated, emphasizing strategies to invest in states rather than just races and build a “red wall” in key battlegrounds including Arizona, Nevada, and New Hampshire.

Her most prominent pledge was a direct endorsement of JD Vance’s presidential candidacy. “We are going to get my husband’s friend JD Vance elected for ’28 in the most resounding way possible,” Kirk said.

Kirk highlighted significant growth within Turning Point, noting that a large majority of attendees at the conference were first-timers, roughly one-third were students, and women comprised more than half of those present. She also reported that the organization has surpassed 1 million students involved and is rapidly expanding its chapters while urging students to organize on campus and churchgoers to demand “biblical citizenship” from pastors.

Additionally, Kirk promised a return to campus debate culture, a hallmark of her husband’s legacy, including new initiatives such as “Pick Up the Mic” and expanded “Prove Me Wrong” events. She argued that conservatives win by showing up confidently, arguing effectively, and refusing to retreat from hostile environments.

Kirk concluded with a call to honor Charlie Kirk’s legacy through organization, turnout, and victories—first in 2026 to protect Trump’s governing agenda and then in 2028 to maintain Republican control of the White House.