Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot last week at a campus event in Utah, was a hero to a generation of young conservatives; last week, my colleague Christian Paz wrote about how he and his organization, Turning Point USA, redefined what politics and political media looked like for many in Gen Z.

I sat down with Christian to talk about that appeal for Vox’s daily newsletter, Today, Explained. Our conversation is below, and you can also sign up for the newsletter here for more conversations like this.

Where did Charlie Kirk come from, as a figure in the conservative movement?

He came pretty much from nowhere. Around the time that he was 18, he decides that he wants to start a revitalized movement of conservatism. His idols were Rush Limbaugh, the radio host, and he was a believer in the old “lower taxes, smaller government”-style conservatism. Essentially, the way that a lot of people describe him is somebody who was unique in the talents he had in communicating and talking and connecting with people.

This story was first featured in the Today, Explained newsletter

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