Politicians across Montana are mourning the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a Utah college campus on Wednesday.

Kirk was best known as the co-founder of Turning Point USA, a nonprofit focused on engaging young people in right-wing political action. He was also an outspoken ally of many of Montana’s top Republican politicians. 

“I’ve known Charlie since he was a teenager,” said Gov. Greg Gianforte following news of Kirk’s death. “He was at my home in Bozeman last summer. He’s a friend.” 

All four members of Montana’s federal delegation dedicated social media posts to Kirk’s death, calling him a friend, “a good man and a patriot” and a “tireless defender of our First Amendment rights.” 

State Rep. Braxton Mitchell, R-Columbia Falls, described Kirk as “not only a friend, but the person who first inspired me to get into politics.”  

After meeting Kirk at an event in 2018, Mitchell said he was recruited as an ambassador for Turning Point USA, and Kirk later endorsed his bid for a seat in the state House of Representatives. 

“There's no other guy who can get a young conservative to get out there,” said Mitchell, adding that Kirk was among his favorite name-drops for campaign literature and support lists. 

Beyond political endorsements, Turning Point USA has been known to fund conservative candidates for student government positions. The organization publishes watchlists that identify professors and public school boards that allegedly “discriminate against conservative students and advance leftist propaganda in the classroom.”  

But Kirk’s legacy among conservative lawmakers is most closely linked to his regular appearance at political rallies and as the host of an eponymous daily podcast. Kirk often took controversial positions during these appearances. He was known to advocate against vaccine mandates during the Covid-19 pandemic and was openly critical of the Black Lives Matter movement.  

His visit to Utah Valley University on Sept. 10 was part of a new speaking series titled “The American Comeback Tour.” Kirk was reportedly answering audience questions about mass shooters when he was struck in the neck by a single bullet fired from about 200 meters away. President Donald Trump later confirmed Kirk’s death via social media and ordered that all flags be flown at half-staff in commemoration.  

“All Charlie tried to do was advocate for free speech on college campuses, and that’s what he died doing,” said Mitchell. 

Officials had yet to apprehend the shooter or establish a clear motive as of presstime, but Mitchell was firm in his belief that Kirk was targeted because of his far-right ideologies. He classified the killing as an act of political violence and linked Kirk’s death to the assassination attempts against Trump. 

“We’re seeing pretty clearly which side is doing it ... Whatever side, it’s not something that needs to happen,” said Mitchell. 

But political violence has struck both sides of the aisle this year. A Democratic state lawmaker in Minnesota and her husband were fatally shot earlier in June in what U.S. District Attorney Joe Thompson called a “political assassination.” The torching of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s residence in April has also been linked to political violence. 

Kirk was scheduled to speak at Montana State University in Bozeman on Oct. 7 as part of his ongoing speaking tour. The event would have been his fourth known public engagement in the Treasure State.  

Kirk spoke at Montana State University in 2019 and at an event for the Flathead County Republicans in 2020. Last year, Kirk hosted a political rally at the University of Montana in support of Republican Sen. Tim Sheehy’s campaign.

Reporter Hailey Smalley can be reached at 758-4433 or [email protected].