One of the most common questions I hear in relation to the tragic death of Turning Point USA’s Charlie Kirk is: Where do we go from here?
Digital strategy expert and conservative activist Mahgdalen Rose believes Kirk’s death could be a defining moment for young Republicans who will pick up the pieces going forward. During our interview, she unpacked the impact of Kirk’s assassination, the rise of performative politics, and the path forward for young conservatives who might feel leaderless in an increasingly volatile political environment.
Rose described Kirk’s death as a watershed moment for Gen Z conservatives—a brutal reminder that political violence is not just theoretical anymore. “This is a terrible thing…There is a danger level that you need to go into with your eyes open before you choose this versus being a nurse or something along those lines,” she told me.
The activist also discussed how some influencers on the right appear to be using his death to concoct conspiracy theories to attack Israel. “The people who made it their personality to convince everyone that Charlie Kirk was converting to Catholicism—I don’t think he was…But the idea that she [Erika Kirk] has to go on a show and have to discuss whether or not he was praying the Rosary or becoming a Catholic…I found that to be disgusting.”
Some fringe elements on the right have intimated, without evidence, that Israel’s government was involved in Kirk’s assassination. “I don’t want conspiracy theories to be a scapeboat for left-wing violence…That’s bad enough and twisted enough in and of itself,” Rose said.
Kirk’s assassination has left a gaping void in the conservative youth movement. She noted that he was not only a media figure, but an political organizer. “He was not just a commentator, he was a kingmaker… If you want to be the next Charlie Kirk, you have to understand that you’re not gonna just get a podcast deal,” Rose said. “The grown-ups of the Republican Party will expect you to deliver the youth vote for them—and that’s a very daunting task.”
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She further explained that finding leaders to fill Kirk’s shoes might be a gargantuan undertaking, noting that he was one of few among conservative youth leaders that actually lived what he preached. “Kirk was completely approachable… and he was also living out his life as he told other people they should be. That’s a very hard combination to find in conservative politics,” she noted.
Over the years, since the days of leftists shouting down conservative speakers at universities like UC Berkeley, Rose has noticed a troubling trend among the young. She described how some were conditioned to accept abuse and violence as a badge of honor of sorts.
“We glorified young conservatives being attacked,” she lamented. “We got a message… that it was okay for us to be spit at, harassed, screamed at because of what we believe. Because that’s the cost to being a young conservative.”
She warned that the performative nature of politics has only exacerbated the situation. When people can spin getting punched, screamed at, spit upon, or harassed into viral content, it incentivizes people to walk directly into potentially dangerous situations to get that perfect viral video clip. “We misconstrued this idea that working hard meant being willing to be assaulted,” she said.
Rose is looking forward to a reimagining of the conservative youth movement and believes a holistic approach to promoting conservatism is the best way to take up the mantle. She emphasized the importance of young conservatives getting involved in other methods of pushing things forward in addition to becoming media influencers.
Rose wishes to see more young conservatives fight the battle by getting into activism, law, business, and local engagement. “You can do so much and have so much impact and not necessarily be famous… We don’t all need to be famous,” she said.
Her message is clear: Those wish to honor Kirk’s legacy should pick a lane, serve their community, and stop viewing government as the ultimate solution. “You need to figure out what part of this country you specifically want to get something from—that you want to influence,” she said.
Check out the full interview below:
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