The fallout from Charlie Kirk’s killing has only begun to manifest itself, but campus conservatism clearly will change forever as a generation of young conservatives searches for a new leader.

Kirk's death has the potential to silence the rising voice of young Republicans and to stagger his mission. But this also has the potential to give rise to far more extreme characters from within the right.As a young conservative, I know all too well the temptation to silence yourself in response to criticisms, or even threats, on campus. And I know the threats that lurk.

Conservatives have an obligation to fill the void that Kirk's death leaves behind, not only to combat the extreme of the left but also to combat the extreme of the right. As authorities announce murder charges against Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old accused of killing Kirk, 31, we have to start the process of choosing a new conservative leader wisely if we want to keep this vital work going.

After Kirk assassination, conservatives are scrambling to find a new voice

Kirk had an absolutely massive presence in the youth conservative movement. Not only did his campus events often attract thousands, but he also built infrastructure that impacted the way young conservatives engaged with politics. Turning Point USA, cofounded by Kirk, registered young voters, but its reach goes even further than that online presence, with tens of millions of followers across their platforms. Many have attributed Turning Point and Kirk as being a key part of Trump's gains among young voters in 2024.

We can see his impact and influence after his death, which created a spike in interest in his media projects.

Turning Point will continue on, but the key voice behind it is lost. The worst possible thing that could happen now is that campuses where Kirk has made headway begin to regress and lose our voice. That would hurt young conservatives and the college campuses that benefit from a stronger culture of debate and discussion.

Thankfully, people have stepped up to announce that they would be more active on campuses going forward. Perhaps the most well-known campus culture warrior, Ben Shapiro, has already announced his Fall Campus Tour. I expect more will come.

I applaud those who are meeting this tragic situation with a renewed commitment to dialogue on campuses. It clearly takes an immense amount of bravery to put yourself into the arena of publicly debating controversial ideas. But young conservatives need to see that our leaders are not deterred by the threat of violence as a response to free speech.

Void left by Kirk's death cannot be filled by the wrong voices

However, in addition to the chilling effect Kirk’s killing might have on campus speech, it also could have the effect of amplifying voices who are less conducive to productive dialogue among young people.

One of Kirk’s strengths was that he had a strong record of conflicting with the ultra-right supremacists. I think he was an enemy of antisemites and White nationalists because of both his views on Israel and because he combatted their antics for the better part of a decade. Kirk understood that if these voices were simply ignored, they only gained more allure. They hated him for his ability to eloquently refute their positions and not toe the line of the alt-right.

Unfortunately, his death presents an opportunity for these fringe voices to become louder and increase their market share of conservative dialogue. Given the understandable tsunami of anger on the right, these voices that employ extreme rhetoric may see strong appeal in the coming weeks.

As is true of anything, I do think the proper way to combat these voices is through free debate, not by silencing them. This means conservatives should be willing to explain why these voices are leading young right-wingers astray. When voices like Nick Fuentes’, the de facto leader of the antisemitic Gen Z right, are sectioned off into isolation, they inevitably fester. Conservatives should be forceful in their condemnation of these people and build alternatives that are stronger than the reach that these extremists have.

We don’t just have a responsibility to continue being active in the campus arena in order to strike back against violence meant to silence political voices. We also have a responsibility to combat the threats from within the right itself.

Young conservatives are bound to do some soul-searching in the post-Trump Republican Party. However, through unfortunate circumstances, we find ourselves in a pivotal moment that will shape the future. I hope it's led by people who are worthy role models.

Dace Potas is an opinion columnist for USA TODAY and a graduate of DePaul University with a degree in political science.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who will take over Charlie Kirk's mission? Conservatives, we must choose wisely. | Opinion

Reporting by Dace Potas, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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