A Turning Point USA spokesperson said in a social media post that the organization has been deluged with requests to start new campus chapters for high schools and colleges in the days following Charlie Kirk's death.

Andrew Kolvet said in a post on X early Sunday, Sept. 14, that the group has received more than 32,000 inquiries in 48 hours to start new campus chapters. Turning Point USA, the conservative youth-focused organization founded by Charlie Kirk, says it currently has about 900 college chapters and 1,200 high school chapters.

"Charlie's vision to have a Club America chapter (our high school brand) in every high school in America (around 23,000) will come true much, much faster than he could have ever possibly imagined," Kolvet said in the post.

Turning Point USA did not immediately respond to requests for comment, asking how many of these requests were for college campuses.

Impact of Turning Point USA

Turning Point USA was founded by Kirk in 2012 and has since become a prominent right-wing political force. Along with its presence on hundreds of college and high school campuses, the organization hosts conferences, encourages youth organizing on conservative issues and produces various media such as the “The Charlie Kirk Show." The group, and Kirk, have been closely aligned with the MAGA movement and are credited with helping mobilize support for President Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign.

Much of its power comes from its connection with young voters, and Kirk long argued that his organization's chapters were necessary to combat "woke" classroom ideology. Kirk often held rallies and debates for students. He was at Utah Valley University on the first stop of "The American Comeback Tour" when he was killed by a single gunshot on Wednesday, Sept. 10, while speaking in front of some 3,000 people.

Kirk's wife says tour will continue, public memorial service scheduled

Kirk's wife, Erika Kirk, said in her first public address since her husband's death that the campus tour will continue, and his radio and podcast show will go on. The next scheduled campus tour stop is Colorado State University in Fort Collins on Sept. 18.

A public memorial service for Kirk is scheduled to take place in Arizona on Sunday, Sept. 21, according to Turning Point USA.

Kathryn Palmer is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at kapalmer@usatoday.com and on X @KathrynPlmr.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Following Charlie Kirk's death, Turning Point USA sees surge in chapter requests

Reporting by Kathryn Palmer and Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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