'Fractured': College Republican groups face 'civil war' amid vacuum left by Charlie Kirk

Several College Republican groups and similar organizations are in a "civil war" with each other for control of the youth bloc in the wake of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk's assassination in September, reported Newsweek on Thursday.

Kirk's group, Turning Point USA, has played a pivotal role in organizing Trump voters and was broadly seen by political observers as well-positioned to effectively serve as the GOP's youth wing. However, the future is less clear now, as other groups step up to try to seize that title.

"While Turning Point maintains a sprawling and active network across America’s college campuses, young conservatives who spoke to Newsweek say the organization operated heavily from the top down and benefited largely from Kirk’s skill and star power," said the report. "Turning Point’s effectiveness in swaying young voters — particularly young men — now faces questions in the absence of its leader."

Other groups now competing to dominate this space include the College Republican National Committee, a longtime group that has spawned a number of political leaders and some presidents, including Calvin Coolidge; the College Republicans United (CRU); the National Federation of College Republicans (NFCR); and the College Republicans of America (CRA).

CRNC used to be dominant, peaking in terms of fundraising during President George W. Bush's administration, but has since declined — particularly after its former leader, Alexandra Smith, denounced President Donald Trump over the "Access Hollywood" tape scandal in 2016. For years, these groups have been fractured and divided, some forming as breakaways from each other, driven by drama and scandals such as allegations of a rigged leadership election.

Meanwhile, NFCR chair Rachel Howard and CRA chair Will Donohue have become bitter rivals, with Donohue wanting to model his group in the image of TPUSA and attacking Howard over her previous breaks with Trump on various issues.

This sort of infighting has been what has allowed TPUSA to fill a void for years. And it's possible it could solidify new leadership and remain a dominant force on college campuses, the report concluded — but "if Turning Point fails to retain its 2024 prowess, Republican leaders could be left trying to consolidate the pieces of what was the more than 125-year-old organization called College Republicans."