Thousands Line Up To See JD Vance, Erika Kirk Pick Up Charlie’s Mantle In Emotion-Packed Rally
THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI — Seven weeks to the day after Charlie Kirk was murdered on a Utah college campus, Erika Kirk and Vice President JD Vance took the stage at another university, honoring the late founder of Turning Point USA in an emotion-filled rally.
Long lines of students snaked around the Sandy and John Black Pavilion arena before the event, which was filled to the brim an hour before Erika Kirk took the stage. The 10,000 students in attendance wore MAGA hats, waved American flags and carried posters that read: “I am Charlie Kirk.” In the corner of the stage was a chair draped with a “liberty” t-shirt and a microphone, a tribute to Charlie, who was murdered on September 10.
The students were there to see the vice president and Erika, but they were also there to remember Charlie and learn how to continue his legacy.
As a tribute to Charlie, there is an empty chair with a freedom t-shirt draped over it. pic.twitter.com/yXuCEn9VDs
-Reagan Reese (@reaganreese_) October 29, 2025
It’s packed here at Ole Miss for the @TPUSA campus tour. It is estimated that 10,000 people will be present this evening.
Erika Kirk will take the stage soon. Vice President afterwards. pic.twitter.com/TEqyKqgAPv
-Reagan Reese (@reaganreese_) October 29, 2025
TPUSA’s new CEO took the stage after students sang “God Bless the USA,” wiping her eyes as a video of her late husband introducing her played. She was wearing a “freedom shirt”, the same design Charlie was wearing when he was murdered.
As Erika gathered behind the lectern, a scream echoed through the quiet area.
“We love you!” » shouted a student in the upper section.
People attend a Turning Point USA event at the University of Mississippi Ole Miss Pavilion October 29, 2025 in Oxford, Mississippi. This visit marks the first stop on the “This Is the Turning Point” campus tour, led by Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk. (Photo by Jonathan Ernst-Pool/Getty Images)
Ole Miss students remained on their feet for the entire duration of Erika’s speech, which lasted 30 minutes.
The packed stadium of 10,000 students was completely silent, obsessed with his every word. She is wearing a freedom shirt. She prayed to appear at that stop alongside Vance, saying she heard Charlie in her heart urging her to tour the campus, to “reclaim turf” from the opposition.
“You are the heart of Turning Point USA. You are the heart of this organization,” Erika told the crowd of students, alternating between telling stories about her late husband and encouraging them to get involved and profess their conservative values.
Ole Miss sings “God Bless the USA”@TPUSA @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/XgYIvU6k7v
-Reagan Reese (@reaganreese_) October 29, 2025
“I want to encourage you, especially the students here, to find your voice. You are the brave generation. This is who you are,” Erika told the students.
“All of you Gen Z are the brave generation. Listen to me when I say my husband believed this deep down, that’s why he went to campuses. That’s why he was trying to reach you. You are the brave generation. Own it,” she continued.
I just found out there is a counter event tonight at Ole Miss with former Senator Heidi Heitkamp and Representative Ro Khanna.
Their event attracted just over 100 people.
The TPUSA tour stop attracted over 15,000 people (5,000 couldn’t get in and we even emailed all 13,000 registered adults not to come). pic.twitter.com/kp2BzwoZfs
– Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) October 30, 2025
After her speech, Erika introduced Vance, a close friend of Charlie Kirk who flew to comfort and support the widow and her family following the TPUSA founder’s murder.
Vance’s role at the event wasn’t really to lecture the students, but to take Charlie’s microphone and answer questions from students who disagreed with him, debate them, and hopefully change their minds, as the founder of Turning Point decided to do years ago.
The vice president first paid tribute to his friend, before spending the majority of his time on stage answering questions from students. The line of kids waiting to ask Vance a question never got any shorter, wrapping around the inside of the arena. The vice president kept remarking that he would take as many as he could and return to Washington, D.C., an hour and a half later.
People attend a Turning Point USA event where U.S. Vice President JD Vance is expected, at the University of Mississippi’s Ole Miss Pavilion October 29, 2025 in Oxford, Mississippi. Vance attends a Turning Point USA event with Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, in Mississippi. (Photo by Jonathan Ernst-Pool/Getty Images)
People attend a Turning Point USA event at the University of Mississippi Ole Miss Pavilion October 29, 2025 in Oxford, Mississippi. This visit marks the first stop on the “This Is the Turning Point” campus tour, led by Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk. (Photo by Jonathan Ernst-Pool/Getty Images)
Although some students asking questions expressed support for Vance, others disagreed with the vice president or sought his explanations for various administrative actions, or even his own personal beliefs.
“I can say that most of you apparently agree with a lot of what I said and I’m sure many of you disagree with some of the things I said. That’s okay,” Vance said.
“We don’t need people in our political movement who agree with us on every issue,” Vance continued. “What we need are people of good faith, who love the United States of America and are willing to work hard to save it. » (RELATED: US Bible Sales Skyrocket After Charlie Kirk Assassination)
Students asked Vance to clarify his position on abortion, with one girl expressing that she felt the vice president had changed his position. Another student challenged the administration’s stance on Israel. The vice president was pressed on why Trump wants to run for Republican Rep. Thomas Massie. One student wanted to know how Vance raised his children in an interracial marriage.
VANCE explains why Trump is trying to prioritize Rep. Thomas Massie:
“The problem that Thomas had, it’s not one problem, it’s not three or four problems. It’s that every time we needed Thomas for a vote. He didn’t want to provide it at all…
I wish that wasn’t the case…
-Reagan Reese (@reaganreese_) October 30, 2025
The vice president drew cheers, “USA” chants and laughter with every response.
Following his remarks, the arena erupted in a chant of “48,” a nod to Vance potentially succeeding Trump in the White House.
“Now let’s not go too fast,” Vance laughed.
Throughout the night, Erika and Vance emphasized that Charlie’s killer did not end Turning Point USA or its mission on September 10. The arena was an example of this. And the students lining up in droves to find out how to continue Charlie Kirk’s mission were another.
“I think one of the crucial lessons of Charlie Kirk’s life until his last breath, he was a man who never lost hope in his Creator and never lost hope in the United States of America,” the vice president said to applause. “So let’s dial it back and get on with it.”
