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In the months since Charlie Kirk’s murder, his widow, Erika Kirk, has become one of the most famous figures in American politics.
Many have suggested that Erika is planning a run for office.
And while 2028 is still a long way off, there’s already talk of a potential bid for the White House.
There was a time when the idea of a media figure with no governing experience running for president would have seemed absurd.
But 2016 changed everything, and Erika is aligning herself with Donald Trump at a time when the president is losing some of his most high-profile supporters.
Kirk and Trump both appeared at a rally in Arizona over the weekend, and one of the biggest right wing accounts on X (formerly Twitter) suggested that Erika might be establishing herself as the president’s heir apparent.
“Rumors are swirling that Erika Kirk could be positioning herself for a 2028 presidential run,” Tara Bull wrote to her 1.4 million followers.
The post received a mixed response, but the upshot is that whether she likes it or not, Erika’s name is now being mentioned in the same breath as the 2028 presidential race.
And while the election might be years away, Erika is already dealing with her first campaign mini-scandal.
It was a blink-and-you’d-miss-it moment:
When Trump joined Kirk on stage at Turning Point USA’s “Build the Red Wall” rally at Dream City Church in Phoenix, they briefly kissed on each cheek.
Perhaps it’s because she was recently widowed, or maybe it’s because Trump is less popular these days with the sort of people who used to constitute his base.
But whatever the reason, Trump and Erika’s embrace became a subject of widespread debate and controversy on social media.
As MSN reports, some observers accused Trump of giving off “creepy uncle vibes.”
Others alleged that he held on to Erika for several seconds too long.
Usually, Erika leans into controversies, but this one she’s chosen to ignore, preferring to focus instead on her political message.
“And now we have to show up again with 80 to 90% voter turnout in the midterms and fortify the red wall for the next decade. That’s what we need to do,” she said at one point in the rally.
She went on to lash out at those who seek to “tear our country” apart by focusing on issues that divide instead of unite.
Just a few months ago, the assumption would have been that Erika was referring to liberals and Democrats — but these days, she might have been referring to Trump’s former supporters.
Either way, she’s mastered the politician’s art of making a statement without actually saying anything.
