MAGA Republicans and Democratic lawmakers are cancelling events in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s murder amid concerns over political violence, copycats, and a killer who remains at large.
One day after the conservative activist was assassinated during a college campus event in Utah, escalating tensions on both sides of the aisle are taking a toll on scheduled appearances.
In California, a Democratic event to promote Governor Gavin Newsom’s redistricting measure was postponed to next week in light of Kirk’s death.
Across the country, progressive firebrand Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez cancelled a rally she had scheduled for Sunday in Raleigh, North Carolina.
In Utah, House Minority Leader Angela Romero canceled door-knocking canvas plans with voters this weekend after Democratic leaders received menacing voicemails in the wake of Kirk’s assassination.
And in South Carolina, Congresswoman Nancy Mace—an outspoken Republican who regularly rails against transgender rights—told reporters she would “not be doing any outdoor events anytime soon” due to safety concerns for vocal elected officials.
“I’m worried about copycats,” said Mace, who is also running to be the next governor of her state.
“How do we move forward? I want to be able to walk and go to work like everybody else; I want my employees to be able to show up at the office. People are scared.”
Political violence has been a growing problem in America for years, ranging from the 2022 attack on the husband of former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who was bludgeoned with a hammer in their San Francisco home, to last year’s attempted assassination of Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania.
But the cold-blooded killing of Kirk as he sat on stage at Utah Valley University has reignited concerns that the nation is entering a more perilous phase.
The 31-year-old Trump ally was a controversial conservative voice, amassing a huge following on social media and college campuses through his work with youth organization Turning Point USA.
Such was the regard for Kirk within the White House that President JD Vance dropped plans to attend the 9/11 memorial in New York on Thursday so he could instead fly to Utah to be with Kirk’s family and fly his remains home to Arizona on Air Force 2.
Trump also paid tribute to Kirk during a September 11 speech at the Pentagon, announcing that the MAGA firebrand would be posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States.
But the initial expressions of grief and shock surrounding Kirk’s death on Wednesday were soon overtaken by calls for vengeance, as some proclaimed the country was on the brink of civil war.
“The Left is the party of murder,” X founder Elon Musk posted to his millions of followers.
Wednesday’s assassination also sent a chill through Capitol Hill, where police had earlier this month tracked almost 14,000 assessments of threatening and concerning behavior this year, up from 9000 in 2024.
With the midterm elections approaching next year, lawmakers and public figures are once again rethinking security arrangements and whether to stop holding outdoor events.
“People are scared to death in this building,” said Florida Congressman Jared Moskowitz, who has faced death threats in the past.
“Not many of them will say it publicly, but they’re running to the speaker talking about security, and that’s a lot of Republicans in there. People are scared, really scared.”
Others, however, remain defiant.
In Santa Barbara, a Young America’s Foundation event with conservative commentator Ben Shapiro was cancelled Thursday, with the group saying it would review security measures for future gatherings.
But on his podcast, Shapiro said he would continue visiting college campuses this year, just as Kirk had, “and we’re not going to be deterred.”
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