In a pre-planned move following his assassination, Charlie Kirk’s vision for Turning Point USA’s future has been realized. On Wednesday evening, Erika Kirk was officially elected as the organization’s new chief executive and chair of the board, stepping into a pivotal leadership role.
During her initial public address after her husband’s tragic passing, Mrs. Kirk vowed to vigorously advance Turning Point USA’s mission. She assured supporters that the popular campus tours would continue, with even more planned for the future, and that Mr. Kirk’s cherished radio and podcast programs would carry on.
With conviction, she declared, “I’ll make Turning Point USA the biggest thing that this nation has ever seen. I promise.”
For many years, alongside her husband, Mrs. Kirk championed a lifestyle prioritizing marriage and motherhood above career ambitions. At a 2021 Turning Point event, she famously stated that “boss babe culture is completely antithetical to the gospel.” More recently, at a women’s leadership summit in June, she was present as her husband advised the audience that every woman should “submit to a godly man.”
Erika Kirk joins a growing cohort of influential conservative women who, while cultivating significant public profiles and careers, advocate a specific message: encouraging young women to prioritize marriage and family life over professional aspirations. This viewpoint is gaining considerable traction, resonating deeply at political events, across widely listened-to partisan podcasts, and on popular Instagram accounts boasting millions of followers.
This balancing act for American women has a rich history. In her book, “Right-Wing Women,” feminist author Andrea Dworkin detailed her experience at the 1977 National Women’s Conference in Houston amidst intense debate over the Equal Rights Amendment. She observed anti-feminist leader Phyllis Schlafly hosting a parallel convention, describing Schlafly as “that rare woman of any ideological persuasion who really does see herself as one of the boys.”
Dworkin posited that Schlafly’s true ambition was likely to leverage female support to gain access to the highest levels of conservative male leadership. Notably, some of Dworkin’s works have been reissued this year, finding renewed relevance and a new readership among Gen Z.
Schlafly, conversely, contended that feminist leaders were unfairly portraying women as victims. “Self-imposed victimhood is not a recipe for happiness,” she asserted.
Today, the “womanosphere” — a collection of conservative podcasts aimed at young women, mirroring the “manosphere” — is populated with figures who echo Schlafly’s approach.
For instance, Katie Miller, wife of prominent Trump aide Stephen Miller, stepped down from her position as Elon Musk’s Washington representative to launch a podcast, emphasizing wellness and parenting over political commentary. Similarly, Jessica Reed Kraus transformed her personal narratives on motherhood into an influential role within the “Make America Healthy Again” movement, gaining recognition within the Trump administration through Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Another notable figure is Fox News’s Brett Cooper. At a June Turning Point USA event, she revealed her decision to reduce her popular YouTube show from ten episodes weekly to just two. While acknowledging this would cap her earning potential, she explained it enabled her to center her life around her impending son. The audience responded with enthusiastic cheers. Cooper skillfully navigated promoting and critiquing the ‘tradwife’ lifestyle, advising fans to pursue meaningful work while also expressing her belief that feminism oversold the importance of career primacy to women.
Addressing the attendees, Ms. Cooper shared, “During my tours, I’ve met remarkable young women – some my age – who are already stay-at-home mothers with multiple children. Just recently, a young woman told me she left medical school to pursue a career offering the flexibility needed to raise the family she envisioned.”
Similarly, Alex Clark, host of Turning Point USA’s “Culture Apothecary” podcast, stated in an interview that she would readily trade her impressive career accomplishments for a husband and children.
Clark, whose popular “Culture Apothecary” podcast frequently ranks among Apple’s top health podcasts and draws crowds for selfies, commented, “I’m incredibly proud of my achievements, including testifying at the Senate with R.F.K. But honestly, I’d abandon it all tomorrow. If given the choice between my career and having a marriage and kids, I’d choose family without hesitation.”
Mrs. Kirk is set to deliver her inaugural public address as the new leader of the organization her husband established, a challenging moment that will take place on Sunday at Mr. Kirk’s funeral, amidst the somber circumstances that propelled her into this role.
Soon after her husband’s death, she posted a powerful message to her six million Instagram followers: “They have no idea what they just ignited within this wife.”