Maxx Beeler, the Turning Point USA field representative for the North Star Region covering all of Minnesota, joined Liz Collin on her podcast to discuss the emotional whirlwind during the last month since Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
Beeler spoke about how the “Charlie Kirk Effect” has been influencing students and membership at high schools and college campuses throughout the state—despite protests and threats of violence.
WATCH THE INTERVIEW:
Beeler said Minnesota has been experiencing what’s been called the “Charlie Kirk effect.” Before Kirk’s assassination, Turning Point had six high school chapters in Minnesota, but in the last month, has gained 27 chapters. The number of college chapters increased from seven to 23.
As Collin pointed out, Kirk founded Turning Point on a commitment of identifying, educating, training, and organizing students to promote freedom and faith and restore traditional American values, the very things he dedicated his life to.
With his insights as a Turning Point field rep, Beeler explained, “Students are signing up because they want to be a part of something bigger than themselves. They want to stand up for their values and beliefs. That Charlie Kirk effect is really having people ready to stand up for their beliefs and get out there and finally be outspoken about it. They’re tired of hiding in the shadows and they’re finally ready to stand up for what they believe in.”
“We now have nearly 600 college students involved across the 23 chapters in Minnesota and then we have about 150 high school students to spread across those chapters as well,” he added.
Some Minnesota students, however, have resorted to insults and threats of violence against other students. Last week, for example, instead of respecting what would have been Kirk’s 32nd birthday, students at the University of Minnesota—specifically a group called Students for a Democratic Society—denounced Kirk and praised George Floyd. Beeler captured some of the happenings on the scene of that protest.
🚨HAPPENING NOW
The anti-Charlie Kirk protest at the University of Minnesota has a pitiful 20 people. A very low energy event! @AlphaNewsMN @lizcollin @GrageDustin @AndrewSypher @politicalcmrg @Daltonadamm @elliottengenMN @WalterHudson pic.twitter.com/Zjk1PECjEZ— Maxx Beeler 🇺🇸 (@MaxxBeeler) October 14, 2025
“For one, it was absolutely disgusting, disparaging a father and a husband that Charlie was, and he was amazing at both of those things. A man of faith, he fearlessly spread the word of God. So it was really disheartening to see protesting a man who had such high character. But also the protest itself was just so low energy. These people, I don’t even think they really believe in what they are doing. They don’t have any enthusiasm for what they do or say,” said Beeler.
Turning Point members at the University of Minnesota Duluth reported facing another death threat earlier this month—the second in six months.
An earlier threat occurred before a Turning Point USA free speech event at the university, when according to a police report, an individual allegedly told a Turning Point member: “I’d line all you mother f—–s up against the wall and shoot you.”
Beeler told Collin that he thinks “it’s extremely unfortunate about where our culture is that those are things that you get yelled at and death threats for on college campuses.”
He also said that “college campuses are supposed to be the marketplace of ideas, right? You’re supposed to come there and hear different opinions and things like that. Not to shout other people down, let alone threaten them with bodily harm or death based on other people’s opinions … I love to chat with anyone who has a varying opinion and so do our students.”
If students are interested in joining a chapter or starting their own, visit tpusa.com/students.
On a national level, Turning Point USA sent out the following update last week:
- 350,000+ students have joined Turning Point USA chapters
- 130,000+ chapter inquiries have come in
- 1,956 new Club America chapters have launched
- 839 new college chapters are already up and running
Liz Collin
Liz Collin is a multi-Emmy-Award-winning investigative reporter, news anchor, and producer who cares about Minnesota. She is the producer of The Fall of Minneapolis and Minnesota v We the People documentary films, and author of the Amazon best-selling book, They’re Lying: The Media, the Left, and The Death of George Floyd. Her work has prompted important state laws. Yet perhaps most of all, Liz has been giving a voice to the truth—and helping others tell their stories—for more than 20 years.
Dr. JC Chaix
Dr. JC Chaix is an editor, educator, and an expert in media studies. He wrote and directed the Alpha News documentary "The Fall of Minneapolis" and "Minnesota v We the People."
