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In a solemn and emotional statement on Wednesday evening, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox declared the fatal shooting of Turning Point USA founder and dad of two, Charlie Kirk, to be a "political assassination" that strikes at the very heart of American democracy.

"This is a dark day for our state. It's a tragic day for our nation," Cox said, denouncing the act as an affront to the Founders' vision that "all men are endowed... with certain inalienable rights. The first one of those is life."

The Republican governor reminded Americans that Kirk was "first and foremost a husband and a dad to young children," and that his commitment to free speech was why he was on campus.

Charlie believed in the power of free speech and debate to sha

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