Following plans made by her late husband, Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk has pushed the organization to sink as many resources as needed into ousting Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D).
If she fails, the Daily Mail reported, it could raise new questions about her leadership.
According to the report, Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated in September 2025, endorsed controversial Rep. Andy Biggs (R) in May of that year. It was an early move in the Republican primary to back the strongest possible candidate against Hobbs.
For Charlie Kirk, "the race was personal." Arizona is home to Turning Point’s headquarters, and it is where he lived.
“This state is home, this is the state where I am raising my kids,” he said at a rally for Biggs.
Biggs was also a friend, the Mail reported, noting their families spent time together "talking about their big dreams for Arizona."
Now Biggs and Turning Point face an uphill climb against Hobbs, who was once seen as a prime target for the group’s army of activists.
“I think our team feels the pressure of wanting to make Charlie proud and to do something special in the wake of his assassination, but also understanding that this is a tough, political environment,” a Turning Point insider told the Daily Mail.
A Turning Point source said Erika Kirk has recommitted the group to her husband’s mission. She has urged Turning Point Action, led by chief operating officer Tyler Bowyer, to pour "all the resources necessary" into Arizona to beat Hobbs. Activists are working long hours chasing ballots in the state “for Charlie.”
A source familiar with the group’s internal dynamics told the Daily Mail that a loss by Biggs would likely "energize critics" of Erika Kirk’s leadership, including former employee and controversial podcaster Candace Owens.
A Trump world official conceded to the outlet that the numbers in the race "don’t look good," despite Turning Point’s best efforts.
Even allies fear a loss in Arizona could damage the group’s political power and raise questions about how effective it is.
“The problem with Turning Point is that they have spent so much money, they essentially own the results of this race,” one Republican strategist pointed out to the Mail.
Another Republican strategist was also skeptical that Hobbs can be unseated in an election where the GOP is facing major headwinds because of Donald Trump's unpopularity.
“It’s very hard to unseat an incumbent governor. It almost never happens,” they remarked.