<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/tag/republican-party/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Republican Party</a> paid tribute to <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/tag/charlie-kirk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Charlie Kirk</a> at its midterm convention on Wednesday evening, recognizing the conservative activist’s influence on the GOP one year after his death.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Nearly one year after a gunman fatally shot Kirk during a speaking event at Utah Valley University, the <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/tag/republican-national-committee/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Republican National Committee</a> reserved a seat on the convention stage for him.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">A white photo and American flag were draped across the <a href="https://x.com/JayTC53/status/2097775034206949885/photo/1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">lone chair</a>, which featured a white placard with “Saved for Charlie” written in bold black lettering.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Wednesday marks the first of two days Republicans are gathering in Dallas to prepare for the upcoming elections in November.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">President Donald Trump is scheduled to speak both nights at the convention. Vice President JD Vance will also address attendees on Thursday evening.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The tribute to Kirk comes as he was regarded as a significant leader in the Republican Party before his death, particularly known for his outreach to young people on college campuses through Turning Point USA.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">He built important relationships with Trump, Vance, and other prominent figures in the GOP, campaigning across the country for Republicans in the 2024 election before he was killed on September 10, 2025.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">To honor his memory, the RNC will pay tribute on the second night of the convention, September 10, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Kirk’s death led to some division within the GOP, as figures such as Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson expressed differing opinions on the circumstances surrounding his killing. The suspect, Tyler Robinson, has been ordered to stand trial for the assassination amid the ongoing investigation.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Kirk’s wife, Erika, took over Turning Point USA following his death.</p>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img alt="Delegates stand as the national anthem is performed at the Republican convention in Dallas, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026." class="wp-image-4719400" height="682" src="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/AP26252729933351.jpg?w=696" width="1024" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Delegates stand as the national anthem is performed at the Republican convention in Dallas, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)</figcaption></figure>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/congressional/4716689/new-hampshire-senate-race-john-sununu-chris-pappas/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>NEW HAMPSHIRE SENATE RACE SET BETWEEN JOHN SUNUNU AND CHRIS PAPPAS</strong></a></p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“The wave still comes, but it’s different now,” she wrote in a <em>New York Times</em> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/07/opinion/erika-kirk-grief-faith.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">guest essay</a> published Monday. “A year ago, when I felt it coming over me, I wondered whether it would swallow me completely. Now, I recognize it; sometimes I even welcome it, because for a moment the grief makes Charlie feel impossibly close.”</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“One day, maybe when you least expect it, you’ll start to see that those 15 minutes hold more than just grief,” Erika Kirk continued. “The grief is there, always, but so is the beautiful gift of life.”</p>