Turning Point USA Spins Wild Theory on Vance’s No-Show Crowd
The Daily Beast • • nation
Key Points:
- Turning Point USA's Georgia event headlined by JD Vance saw poor attendance, with thousands of empty seats at the Akins Ford Arena in Athens despite 10,000 free tickets being reserved.
- Spokesperson Andrew Kolvet blamed left-wing groups for booking tickets en masse and not showing up as a form of protest, claiming this tactic disrupted attendance figures.
- Protesters both outside and inside the venue held signs criticizing Turning Point USA and JD Vance, and heckled Vance during his speech, leading to tense exchanges.
- Erika Kirk, who was scheduled to interview Vance on stage, withdrew last minute over security concerns due to hostile and threatening messages.
- The event's low turnout and protests drew widespread mockery online and media, with critics highlighting the contrast between ticket reservations and actual attendance.
