Erika Kirk has formally endorsed Vice President JD Vance for president in 2028, pledging to use the full influence of the conservative organization Turning Point USA to support his campaign.
Speaking Thursday night at AmericaFest in Arizona — Turning Point’s first major event since the assassination of her husband, founder Charlie Kirk — Erika Kirk made the endorsement public.
“We are going to get my husband’s friend JD Vance elected as the 48th president in the most resounding way possible,” she told the crowd.
While the endorsement was not entirely unexpected given Vance’s close ties to Charlie Kirk and Turning Point USA, it carries significant weight due to the organization’s influence within the conservative movement, particularly among young voters.
Founded by Charlie Kirk in 2012, Turning Point USA played a major role in helping elect President Donald Trump and shaping the modern conservative movement.
JD Vance has not officially announced whether he will run in 2028. In a Fox News interview last month, the vice president said he remains focused on his current role and the 2026 midterm elections, adding that discussions about 2028 would take place after next year’s elections.
“We’re going to win the midterms,” Vance said. “After that, I’ll sit down with the president of the United States and talk to him about it. But right now, let’s focus on the present.”
Following Charlie Kirk’s death, Vance credited him with helping launch his political career and playing a central role in building President Trump’s second administration.
“So much of our success traces directly to Charlie’s ability to organize and bring people together,” Vance said. “He didn’t just help us win in 2024 — he helped staff the entire government.”
Erika Kirk’s endorsement comes shortly after Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Vanity Fair that he would support Vance if he runs for president in 2028.
“If JD Vance runs for president, he’ll be our nominee, and I’ll be one of the first to support him,” Rubio said.
President Trump has also publicly praised both Vance and Rubio as potential future presidential candidates, calling them “great options” and suggesting they would be difficult to challenge.
