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This year’s Virginia governor’s race will gauge whether outrage over Charlie Kirk’s death will energize Gen-Z conservatives to vote.
Chloe Bolin, a 25-year-old student at Virginia Tech, attended Turning Point USA’s rally shortly after Kirk’s murder. She first learned about Kirk through his videos on TikTok and became an admirer of his Christian-based political messages. Following his assassination, Bolin felt more inclined to speak up for her beliefs.
As Gen-Z conservatives like Bolin mourn Kirk’s death, many say they’ve become politically galvanized. Republican leaders are capitalizing on this energy by tying Kirk’s killing into broader messages about Democrats as radical and violent. Some candidates have already invoked the incident in campaign materials.
The race between Republican Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears and Democrat Abigail Spanberger could test whether this strategy drives youth voter turnout.
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However, Kirk’s death hasn’t significantly altered this year’s gubernatorial race. Virginia has elected a governor from the opposite party as the president every election cycle since 1977. Democrats are favored to win.
Preliminary polls showed Spanberger about 10 points ahead of Earle-Sears. A September survey by Christopher Newport University found that among voters aged 18 to 29, Spanberger received 20% more support than her opponent.
Despite the rally’s attendance of fewer than 3,000 students out of close to 40,000 at Virginia Tech, some attendees were apathetic about upcoming elections. Bolin, studying for a doctorate in veterinary medicine, said she has never been politically engaged and only voted in presidential elections before.
Kirk’s death did galvanize her to speak up more about her beliefs, but Bolin is uncertain if she’ll vote in future local or state elections. She opted not to register in Virginia due to lack of knowledge about the candidates.
Even students who plan to vote were unsure of the gubernatorial candidates’ names and often chose to vote for the Republican candidate based on Youngkin’s support.
For Youngkin, one of the speakers at the Turning Point event, the long-term impact of Kirk’s death on GOP politics seemed less significant. He encouraged attendees to openly discuss their politics and faith, emphasizing enduring work over immediate satisfaction.
This year’s Virginia governor’s race could be among the first tests of whether Republican efforts to mobilize young voters will succeed in driving youth voter turnout.
