Erika Kirk Backs JD Vance 2028 Presidential Run/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Turning Point USA leader Erika Kirk publicly endorsed Vice President JD Vance for a potential 2028 presidential run during the group’s annual conference. The endorsement aligns with her late husband Charlie Kirk’s support for Vance and signals early conservative backing. Vance is seen as a leading contender to succeed President Trump and carry the MAGA movement forward.
Erika Kirk Endorses JD Vance Quick Looks
- Erika Kirk endorsed Vice President JD Vance for president in 2028.
- Kirk is the widow of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
- She made the announcement during Turning Point’s annual conference in Phoenix.
- Kirk said Vance was her husband’s close friend and political ally.
- Vance helped transport Charlie Kirk’s remains after his assassination in September.
- If elected, Vance would become the 48th U.S. president.
- Erika Kirk said Turning Point would work to elect Vance “in the most resounding way.”
- Vance is scheduled to speak at the conference’s final day on Sunday.
- The conference has been marked by internal conflicts among conservatives.
- Vance, as Trump’s vice president, is seen as a natural successor.
- Conservative factions are already competing to shape the GOP’s post-Trump future.
- Turning Point’s youth network would be a major asset in a Republican primary.
- Vance would be the first Millennial president if elected.
- Trump has floated a Vance-Rubio ticket for 2028.
- Rubio, a 2016 presidential candidate, has signaled support for Vance.
Deep Look: Erika Kirk Backs Vice President JD Vance for 2028 White House Run
PHOENIX — Erika Kirk, the new head of Turning Point USA and widow of its founder Charlie Kirk, endorsed Vice President JD Vance for a potential 2028 presidential campaign on Thursday night, signaling early support from one of the most influential youth-driven conservative organizations in the country.
Speaking to a cheering crowd at the opening night of Turning Point’s annual conference in Phoenix, Kirk declared her intention to help elect Vance, referring to him as a close friend of her late husband. “We are going to get my husband’s friend JD Vance elected for 48 in the most resounding way possible,” she said.
If elected, Vance would become the 48th president of the United States, following Donald Trump, who is currently serving a second term.
The statement was Kirk’s most direct political endorsement since taking leadership of Turning Point following the assassination of her husband in September. Her backing is seen as highly significant given Charlie Kirk’s role in elevating Vance within the conservative movement and his reputation as a bridge-builder between different wings of the Republican Party.
After Charlie Kirk’s death, Vance and his wife personally accompanied Erika Kirk in transporting the body back to Arizona aboard Air Force Two, a gesture that highlighted their personal bond.
Vance is scheduled to speak at the conference on Sunday, closing out an event that has drawn thousands of conservative youth activists. Despite the enthusiastic atmosphere, this year’s gathering has also exposed growing tensions and infighting among right-wing commentators and former allies, some of whom have turned on each other in the wake of Kirk’s death.
As Trump’s vice president, Vance is widely viewed as the most likely candidate to inherit the MAGA mantle. However, translating Trump’s deeply personal political base into support for a successor presents a complex challenge. The former president’s influence is rooted more in personal loyalty than a unified political ideology, making succession planning within the movement difficult.
The endorsement from Erika Kirk and potential support from Turning Point’s vast national network of young activists could give Vance a critical edge in a competitive Republican primary. Turning Point’s grassroots influence among conservative youth makes it one of the most effective political organizing forces on the right.
Vance, 41, would be the first Millennial elected president. His generational appeal and strong ties to populist conservatism make him a natural figure for the organization Charlie Kirk built to energize younger voters.
The 2028 presidential landscape is already taking shape, with different conservative factions positioning themselves for the post-Trump era. Trump, though constitutionally barred from seeking a third term, has not ruled out trying and has hinted at the possibility of backing a Vance-led ticket. He has repeatedly floated the idea of a 2028 Republican ticket featuring Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Rubio, who ran for president in 2016, has publicly expressed support for Vance’s leadership within the party and indicated he would back him as Trump’s political heir.
For Erika Kirk, the endorsement of Vance also appears to reflect an effort to honor her husband’s legacy while helping chart a clear path forward for the conservative movement. By aligning Turning Point’s next phase with a Vance candidacy, she is anchoring the organization’s future around the next generation of populist conservative leadership.
Whether Vance ultimately declares his candidacy remains to be seen, but with Turning Point’s visible backing and Trump’s potential endorsementthe groundwork is already being laid for a serious 2028 presidential campaign.
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