TPUSA event at the University of Georgia
TPUSA event at the University of Georgia PHOTO : BAPTIST NEWS GLOBAL

The president of the University of Georgia's Turning Point USA (TPUSA) has resigned a few days after a major event on campus that saw Vice President JD Vance interviewed.

TPUSA's CEO Erica Kirk was originally planned to interview the Vice President, but decided not to due to security concerns.

This comes as the event was sparsely attended and support for republicans across the country is slipping.

TPUSA's 'Mission and Purpose Have Been Lost Along the Way'

'It became abundantly clear that TPUSA's mission and purpose have been lost along the way,' Caroline Mattox wrote on Instagram on Wednesday, April 22. 'It became evident to me that the organization's current direction no longer aligns with the principles upon which it was founded.'

'While I am grateful for the experiences, lessons, and people this chapter brought me, I can no longer, in good conscience, continue to represent an organization that I believe has strayed so far from its original purpose and principles,' Mattox wrote

'Charlie spent his life fighting for truth, and I do not believe he would stand for the blatant dishonesty now being spread by the organization that he built,' Mattox continued.

'Mattox's decision comes a month after the TPUSA chapter at the University of Arkansas cut ties with the organization. Its former president, Dino Fantegrossi, renamed the group to Young American Revival. The organization is no longer fighting for 'conservative policy, principles and values' since Kirk's death, Fantegrossi wrote in a since-removed Instagram statement, reports the Arkansas Times.'

'We are generally put off by how Charlie Kirk has been used by TPUSA since his assassination,' Fantegrossi wrote in the statement, published a week after Erika spoke in Little Rock. 'Statements like 'Charlie would have said...' and 'Charlie would have wanted...' have felt in many instances disingenuous and manipulative,' according to People.

Erica Kirk Does Not Attend Her Own Event

A source later exclusively told Us Weekly that the 'specific threats were targeting her and her ability to get to and from the event.'

'Her security team felt that they could not protect her life,' the insider added.

The source explained that the alleged threats that led to Erika's cancellation were not targeted at the venue, noting that they had full confidence in the Secret Service to keep Vance 'safe.'

The event was also sparsely attended, with TPUSA spokesperson Andrew Kolvet later blaming 'left-wing groups' for booking tickets and not showing up during the April 15 episode of The Charlie Kirk Show podcast. Kolvet, who interviewed Vance in Erika's place, said 2,000 people attended.

Support For Republicans Dropping Nationwide

According to polling service YouGov, the current favorability of republicans among US registered voters is 55% to 42% unfavorable.

Those numbers are up from 53% in May of 2025.

Americans' approval of Congress has fallen to 10%, barely above its all-time low of 9%, while disapproval has climbed to 86%, tying the record high for the institution, according to Gallup and MS Now.

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