Erika Kirk endorses JD Vance for 2028 US presidential race: 'Get my husband’s friend elected'

Erika Kirk, widow of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, and U.S. Vice President JD Vance embrace during a Turning Point USA event at the Pavilion at Ole Miss at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi, U.S. October 29, 2025. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/Pool

Erika Kirk, chief executive officer of Turning Point USA and widow of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, has formally endorsed US Vice President JD Vance for the 2028 presidential election, positioning him as the natural successor to the political movement her husband helped build.

The endorsement marks the first major institutional backing for Vance from within the conservative grassroots ecosystem and signals an early consolidation of support around him inside the MAGA aligned political space.

“We are going to get my husband’s friend JD Vance elected for ’48 in the most resounding way possible,” Erika Kirk said while announcing the endorsement, framing it as a continuation of Charlie Kirk’s political legacy.

Charlie Kirk was a central figure in President Donald Trump’s MAGA movement and the founder of Turning Point USA, an organisation that has grown into one of the most influential platforms for conservative youth mobilisation and grassroots activism in the United States.

A movement shaped by loss

The endorsement comes during a difficult period for Turning Point USA. This year’s AmericaFest is the organisation’s first major gathering since Charlie Kirk was killed on September 10, 2025, during a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University.

Following his assassination, Erika Kirk stepped into the leadership role at TPUSA, overseeing a phase of internal consolidation while maintaining the group’s influence within the “America First” wing of the Republican Party. Under her leadership, the organisation has continued to play a key role in shaping conservative messaging among young voters.

JD Vance, who currently serves as vice president, is widely viewed by MAGA supporters as the ideological heir to the movement built around Donald Trump. The endorsement strengthens that perception, even as Vance himself has not formally declared a presidential bid.

Is JD Vance running in 2028?

JD Vance has not publicly confirmed whether he plans to run for president in 2028 and is not expected to make any announcement before the 2026 midterm elections. However, the backing from Turning Point USA carries political weight.

The organisation played a significant role in energising young conservative voters during the Trump-Vance campaign in 2024. Its endorsement suggests that influential grassroots groups are already aligning behind Vance as the preferred candidate for the post-Trump era.

Viral moment and online speculation

The endorsement also follows a brief episode of online speculation in late 2025 after a video showing an emotional hug between Erika Kirk and JD Vance at a Turning Point event went viral.

Social media users fuelled rumours about a personal relationship between the two, speculation that was swiftly dismissed by both families.

Erika Kirk later addressed the matter directly, calling the speculation “absurd” and explaining that she is a physically expressive person and that JD Vance was a close friend of her late husband.

Usha Vance, the vice president’s wife, also weighed in, describing the rumours as a “family joke” and shutting down further speculation.

A symbolic endorsement

For many within the conservative movement, Erika Kirk’s endorsement carries symbolic significance. It links JD Vance not only to Donald Trump’s political legacy but also to the organisational machinery and grassroots activism built by Charlie Kirk.

While the 2028 race remains distant, the endorsement underscores how early alliances are already forming within the Republican Party, with Turning Point USA signalling where it sees the future leadership of the movement taking shape.