03/27/2026
On March 18, the resolution to give Hwy K the honorary name of “Charlie J. Kirk Way” was passed on to the full board by the executive committee without a recommendation. This was so constituents represented by all 21 county board members could weigh in before the vote.
At the beginning of the meeting the County Chair made clear that the money would have to come from donations and not the taxpayers.
Charlie Kirk was an American Icon for many people, especially young people on the right of American politics. Charlie was a media personality, podcaster, an author and the founder of Turning Point USA. He was known world wide. Charlie held traditional/conservative views that have been passed down for generations.
I loved Charlie Kirk! I loved listening to him have conversations with people. Charlie never said or acted in a way that can be interpreted as “spewing hate” or being a racist. He spoke using facts and always spoke to everyone and anyone with respect. He encouraged peaceful debate and actually had the people who disagreed with him on volatile topics come to the front of the line. Did the people who hate him say he spewed hate and say he was a racist? Of course they did. When people routinely call someone a racist, fascist, a N**i, etc. people start to believe it.
I have seen all the false narratives about things he has said. I have watched the videos too. Of course the videos and quotes are taken out of context and I can dispute every single one of them as false…..lies to smear Charlie.
Charlie Kirk never used hate speech……he used speech that his enemies hated. And they killed him for it.
I am disappointed with some of the messages I have received from citizens of Washington County calling Charlie names and some even somewhat threatening me. This behavior is unacceptable. Also the hateful posts on Facebook toward Charlie and the County were abhorrent.
I would also like to point out the hate speech in the County Board Room during the committee meeting. People held up signs that called Charlie names and were hateful……“racist” and “bigot” to name a few. One sign read “White Christian Nationalist”. I am white, I am a Christian and I love my country. There is nothing wrong with that. To the person holding up that sign….that is actually hate speech and that is being racist, anti-Christian and anti American.
And people call Charlie racist and hateful!
I received many emails, phone calls and went door to door talking to my constituents about how they felt about designating Hwy K “Charlie Kirk Way”. There were firm NO’s and firm YES’s. There were also a few "it doesn't matter to me”.
The County Chair has removed this item from the agenda and dropped it. This was too political and I feel the county should stay neutral on something like this.
County originally said renaming would cost $50,000
