The House of Representatives passed a resolution on Friday condemning political violence and honoring Charlie Kirk, but nearly a hundred Democrats refused to support it. The final tally was 310-58, with every Republican voting in favor and 96 Democrats either voting against it or refusing to take a stand at all by voting present. That raw number is impossible to ignore: Close to 100 Democrats balked at denouncing political violence when the resolution also praised Kirk’s legacy.
This becomes even more striking when you remember what happened just a few months ago.
Back in June, the House unanimously passed a resolution without a single objection honoring Minnesota House Democrat Leader Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark after they were tragically killed, while also condemning political violence. Every Republican joined in. Not one raised a protest, not one quibbled over wording. But when the shoe was on the other foot, when it came time to honor Charlie Kirk and condemn political violence, 96 Democrats couldn’t bring themselves to return the same measure of respect.
Kirk, at only 31 years old, was a rising conservative leader. He co-founded Turning Point USA, one of the most influential grassroots organizations on the right, and played an outsized role in energizing young voters during Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign. Radicalized leftist Tyler Robinson assassinated Kirk while he was speaking at Utah Valley University, and his accused assassin is now facing seven charges, including aggravated murder. While lawmakers across the spectrum condemned the killing itself, where they split was on whether Kirk’s contributions to American political life were worthy of recognition.
The resolution, which House Speaker Mike Johnson sponsored, honored Kirk as a “courageous American patriot” who modeled civil discussion and promoted unity without abandoning conviction. It described his dedication to free speech and debate as being done with “honor, courage, and respect.” Johnson himself spoke movingly on the floor, remembering that while Kirk often bested opponents in debates, he was quick to extend friendship afterward. “It wasn’t about winning,” Johnson said. “It was about the people. And Charlie loved vigorous debate, but he loved people more.”
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Even Democratic Party leadership seemed to realize how bad the optics were. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries urged Democrats to support the resolution, admitting that he would vote yes but stopped short of demanding unity. In fact, in a caucus meeting the day before, Democrats were told to “vote their conscience.” A party aide even admitted the resolution was “very down the middle and straightforward.” Yet somehow, dozens of Democrats still couldn’t bring themselves to go on the record against political violence, at least not when the victim was a conservative.
Sadly, it’s not all that surprising.
Earlier this year, we reported on a study that showed that “assassination culture” is spreading like a virus on the Left. According to the study, more than half of self-identified leftists said that killing Donald Trump would be at least “somewhat justified,” while nearly half felt the same about Elon Musk. This isn’t fringe; it’s a disturbingly mainstream sentiment on the left. The same crowd also expressed support for vandalizing Tesla dealerships, showing how easily destructive rhetoric bleeds into real-world violence.
Close to 100 Democrats refused to honor Charlie Kirk and denounce political violence. Contrast that with near-unanimous respect for a Democrat victim. This is a crisis of conscience. PJ Media exposes the left’s hypocrisy and violent culture that the mainstream won’t touch. Join PJ Media VIP with the promo code FIGHT to support bold truth-telling, enjoy exclusive access, and browse ad-free. Act now!
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