Following Charlie Kirk’s Lead: A Call to Honor a Beacon of Faith and Courage

As the Chair of the Cumberland County Republicans I have been wanting to make a public statement regarding the life and death of Charlie Kirk but I have been having a hard time finding the right words fearing that I might not say it perfectly enough to be able to appropriately honor one of the greatest Americans in our great nations history. I have realized that I will never find the perfect words so these will have to do but these words will not be the end.

The past week has been one of the most heart-wrenching in recent memory, a grief that echoes the personal devastation of losing a dear friend years ago in a tragic car accident, leaving behind a grieving husband and three young children. Today, that sorrow stems from the assassination of Charlie Kirk, a towering figure whose brilliance and conviction inspired countless lives, including mine. He was one of the best and brightest men in his generation, truly as Benny Johnson said "Charlie was one of one." Charlie, though, was not perfect—he once reflected in a video, with characteristic humility, that when he stands before God, “all of our sins will be listed—and for me, it’s going to be a long list.” Yet, those who knew him, both publicly and privately, consistently described him as one of the kindest souls you could meet. His humility only amplified his impact as a standard-bearer for faith and conservative values.

Charlie often spoke of his blessed life, particularly after the 2024 election. On his show, he warned of the growing dangers faced by those championing conservative ideas, noting, “There’s a growing risk that one of the people promoting conservative ideas like myself is increasingly at risk of being killed for speaking out.” He understood those risks but pressed forward, driven by a mission greater than himself. A devout Christian, he expressed shortly before his death that he wanted to be remembered for “courage for my faith.” His political activism was an outpouring of that faith, coupled with an unwavering love for America, its Constitution, and the Founding Fathers.

Unlike many who dismiss younger generations, Charlie saw boundless potential in Gen Z. As Kristina Parker, Maine GOP Communications Director and co-founder of the first Turning Point USA (TPUSA) chapter in Maine, said, “Charlie believed in Gen Z when no one else did.” While others—myself included as a Millennial—might criticize the youth, Charlie engaged them directly, delivering hard truths with kindness. Through TPUSA, which he co-founded at 18, he sparked the most successful conservative youth movements in America, shifting Gen Z rightward. In Maine, he noted that young men are now the most conservative they’ve been in 50 years. Many, including myself, believe his movement was pivotal to the conservative victory in 2024. His influence wasn’t limited to the young; it reached across ages and political divides, rekindling patriotism and principle.

In my own efforts with podcasts and outreach to Maine Republicans, I’ve tried to echo Charlie’s call for civil discourse, a principle he championed when he said, “When we stop talking, that’s when violence happens.” Tragically, Charlie never stopped talking, yet violence found him on September 10, 2025, during his “American Comeback Tour” at Utah Valley University, where he was fatally shot in the neck. This assassination, part of a wave of political violence in 2025, including attempts on former President Donald Trump, wasn’t Charlie’s fault nor is only the fault of the radical elements on the left - it was also ours.

We, who share his values, too often stayed silent, leaving Charlie to carry the torch alone. He once said, “I go to college campuses so you don’t have to,” stepping boldly into the fray while many of us held our beliefs privately, afraid to speak out. This left him exposed, especially as radical elements grew bolder. Charlie himself highlighted a chilling poll before his death: 48% of Democrats reportedly saw murdering Elon Musk as justifiable, and 55% felt the same about Trump. In such a climate, his courage stood out even more starkly.

Charlie Kirk was the standard-bearer, and I’m merely one of many trying to follow in his footsteps. His legacy—through TPUSA, his podcast, and his fearless voice—lives on in his wife Erika’s vow to continue his work. To honor him, we must step up, speak out, and carry forward the mission he championed with such faith and resolve. Charlie didn’t just shift politics; he lit a fire for America’s soul. Let’s keep it burning. The time of conservatives giving in to the fear of the consequences of speaking up is at an end. We owe it to him.

Chuck Ellis is the Chair of the Cumberland County Republican Committee