Almost immediately, the biotech entrepreneur Ramaswamy and the controversial Kirk found themselves engaged in a lively debate with students about their votes in the upcoming presidential election scheduled for November 5.
Kirk, 31, known for his provocative style, challenged the students with a pointed question: “What is Kamala Harris’ greatest accomplishment?” This came in response to their accusations that Donald Trump was “un-American” and intended to suspend the Constitution.
With a substantial online following and as the founder of Turning Point Action, Kirk has played a pivotal role in the current election cycle, integrating himself as a key participant in Trump’s re-election efforts. The former President is especially keen on appealing to younger male voters, often referred to as the “bro vote,” through various platforms such as social media, podcasts, and influencers like Kirk.
Kirk is slated to host a rally for Trump in Duluth, Georgia, a suburb part of the larger metro Atlanta area, where Trump faced challenges in his 2020 campaign against Democrat Joe Biden. Additionally, both Kirk and Trump will be participating in a rally in Las Vegas on Thursday evening.
Meanwhile, Harris is scheduled to hold a live town hall event in Philadelphia, broadcast on CNN, on the same day as Kirk’s Atlanta appearance.
The Atlanta event was part of a larger initiative dubbed the “You’re Being Brainwashed Tour,” which targets college campuses across undecided swing states that will play a crucial role in determining the next presidential election.
Turning Point is actively promoting its initiative to motivate voter participation among state and local Republican officials in states like Arizona and Wisconsin, although critics have raised concerns over the organization’s validity and its use of an application that offers limited protection for personal voter information. In a leaked meeting recording, a Turning Point staff member claimed, “We now are an official arm of the Trump campaign.”
More than just groundwork, Kirk’s “Brainwashed” tour represents his most recognizable presence as the election approaches. Trump’s team asserts that the former president’s populist nationalist approach resonates with younger voters who are disillusioned by economic inflation and rising living costs.
During the session at Georgia State, Kirk attracted a noticeable number of young men donning Trump’s iconic “Make America Great Again” hats.
One supporter, 25-year-old Jean Pierre, expressed his commitment to voting for Trump, citing shared conservative and Christian values that he believes align more closely with the former president than with Harris. He credited figures like Kirk and Candace Owens for helping him realize his conservative ideology.
However, Pierre seemed to be in the minority as many students came to challenge the speakers or observe the heated discussions.
As Turning Point staff distributed complimentary “MAGA” hats, reactions varied; some students rejected them while others donned them sarcastically. One student was seen attempting to give away a hat, exclaiming, “Please, will some straight white male take this hat!”
Jason Evans and Tyler Hill made headlines with their attire, which read “White Dudes for Harris.” Evans, a junior from New York, intended to pose questions to Kirk and Ramaswamy, but he never got the chance. Hill commented that he was merely there for the spectacle.
Ramaswamy reiterated some familiar campaign messages, accusing Biden’s administration of stifling online speech and defending Trump’s trade policies by highlighting that China is a key supplier to the U.S. military.
Kirk also delved into questionable claims and conspiracy theories, repeating the false notion that Harris holds sole responsibility for U.S. immigration policy and was key to decision-making regarding the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and responses to Russia’s actions in Ukraine. He also perpetuated the misleading claim that 325,000 children had gone missing at the U.S.-Mexico border during Biden’s presidency.
In addition, Kirk defended those who were involved in the January 6 Capitol riot, questioning the circumstances of Ashli Babbitt’s death, who was shot while unarmed by Capitol Police. He drew a provocative comparison to the death of George Floyd, prompting a wave of jeers and expletives from the crowd.
His comments included a controversial statement about how Black Americans have been marginalized historically under Democratic leadership—an assertion met mostly with silence by the varied crowd, though local conservatives and Turning Point staff expressed their approval.
Kirk received his loudest applause from supporters, particularly among those with red hats, when he quoted the New Testament, “We are all sinners. We all fall short of the glory of God.”