House Democrats are fretting over the optics of an upcoming vote on a resolution to honor Charlie Kirk and condemn the MAGA commentator’s assassination.
Democrats worry that if the resolution for Kirk—a highly divisive figure known for inflammatory rhetoric—is not passed unanimously, Republicans will exploit the vote to suggest Democrats are unwilling to condemn political violence or unite the country.
“People are worried that we’re being totally set up,” one House Democrat told Axios. The lawmaker noted that a resolution condemning the shootings of Democratic state lawmakers in Minnesota was passed in the House in June by 424–0.
“I always try to be respectful in times of tragedy or horrific events like this, but…they are politicizing his death in ways I’m not comfortable with,” another House Democrat, who has not yet decided how to vote, told Axios.
Kirk, a hugely influential figure in the MAGA movement, was shot and killed while speaking at an event in Utah on Sept. 10. Authorities have charged suspect Tyler Robinson in connection with the murder, with law enforcement officials saying they believe the Turning Point USA founder was assassinated because of his “political expression.”
The House is set to vote on a resolution titled “Honoring the Life and Legacy of Charles ‘Charlie’ James Kirk,” which is co-sponsored by 165 House Republicans.
The resolution calls Kirk’s death a “heinous act of violence” and a “sobering reminder of the growing threat posed by political extremism and hatred in our society.”
It also seeks to honor the “legacy” of Kirk as someone “whose steadfast dedication to the Constitution, civil discourse, and Biblical truth inspired a generation to cherish and defend the blessings of liberty,” language which many Democrats may take issue with supporting.
Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett, one of the Democrats’ most outspoken critics of Donald Trump and the GOP, confirmed she will vote against the Kirk resolution, saying she is “not sure what is honorable” about many of his views and comments.
Crockett told Axios she is not concerned about potential backlash, saying she lives “under their heinous threats every single day,” and argued Democrats should not emulate Republicans who “abdicated their duties out of fear.”
Several other Democrats reportedly remain undecided, with some expected to vote “present.”
One Democrat who confirmed he will support the resolution is Florida Rep. Jared Moskowitz.
“I disagreed with him on a lot of things, but that doesn’t change the fact that he was shot in the neck on live TV in front of his kids and wife,” he told Axios. “We talk about bringing the temperature down—this is one way to do that.”
The House Democratic leadership is not yet instructing lawmakers how to vote, but House Minority Whip Katherine Clark indicated she may have an announcement regarding the resolution on Thursday.
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