The killing of Charlie Kirk is a sickening, heinous act by another left-wing political assassin.

We know enough about it from the bullet casings in his rifle to know that this was likely a left-wing assassin. The killer’s identity may still be unknown, but his point of view seems pretty clear.

And that is particularly tragic.

Because if there was anybody on the political scene who favored free speech, reasonableness, and willingness to debate opposing views respectfully, with civility, in a non-violent way — it was Charlie Kirk.

Faith and freedom guided him in everything he did. When asked earlier this summer how he wanted to be remembered, here is what he said: “I want to be remembered for courage for my faith. That would be the most important thing. The most important thing is my faith in my life.”

And here he was, once again, on a college campus, discoursing respectfully with young students of opposing views, when he was tragically shot.

It’s just too horrible. The whole thing is too horrible. And it is always so hard to report on such good people getting killed.

Kirk, of course, built Turning Point USA as a vehicle for young people, college students, Gen-Zers, and others to stand up for faith and freedom, conservative social views, and America First patriotism. 

He was a great defender of the Judeo-Christian heritage that has been under attack in recent years by the left.

And, along with President Trump, Kirk had been trying to right the ship the best he can.

Yet Kirk also championed free markets and capitalism.

It’s a testimony to the great success of his young life that he had such strong faith in God, but at the same time understood complicated economic trends.

Largely through his efforts, young voters swung heavily to the GOP in 2024.

Gen Z moved to the right in part because they wanted an America that would provide affordable opportunities to climb the ladder of success.

To marry. Have kids. And live the traditional American way of life.

But during the Biden years, the key word was “unaffordable” — at least in economic terms.

Now, the leftward culture of the Biden years was yet another problem.

Unaffordability, the lack of home ownership, slumping marriage rates, not having children — all this pushed Kirk’s message to a wider and wider audience, as he recruited more and more young people to the cause, and he put himself on the line, going to college campuses to debate opposing viewpoints.

And the beneficiary of this Biden economic breakdown was the optimistic message of Mr. Trump.

Let me add to that story.

Lately, the brilliant Kirk has been warning folks that, if conservatives don’t do better on the affordability problem and don’t really deliver for the young, then Gen Z and other younger folks could shift back quickly.

In several recent interviews, Kirk called this the Mamdani effect — and while he acknowledged it was grievance-based politics, he saw it as a major threat to Mr. Trump and the Republican Party.

He was worried about affordability, with prices still rising.

In fact, several polls showed that the GOP better heed Kirk’s warning.

Here’s how he put it, on “Fox & Friends,” exactly two months ago to this day: “The Mamdani effect is going to metastasize in the Democrat Party. Now, how successful it will be in a general election, I don’t know, I still have my skepticism. But the Mamdani effect is grievance-based politics, playing into people’s bitterness, and also playing into the economic disorder that Biden left us.”

I did not know Kirk. I’m sorry about that. 

He was a brilliant guy. He had tremendous values. He understood the economy. And I absolutely love his religious faith-based values. 

The movement that Kirk started will definitely live on. There is no question about that. Good values always do. 

I want to emphasize that today, on September 11, when we must not ever forget what happened here on 9/11. 

Because America has largely overcome that as well. 

This is the greatest country in the world, but we must all heed Kirk’s message. That’s what we must do. 

And whoever this assassin was, they made one big, fatal mistake. Because Kirk’s millions of followers will not waver. 

Not only will yesterday’s assassination not end his movement — it will surely awaken millions more to his noble cause. 

From Mr. Kudlow’s broadcast on Fox Business Network.