Following the House’s approval of a Friday resolution honoring the life and legacy of Charlie Kirk, several Democrats who voted yes on the measure still released statements that appeared to signal disdain for the assassinated Turning Point USA founder and the principles for which he stood.
The House passed the resolution on a 310-58 vote, with 95 Democrats—less than half of the party’s caucus—voting yes on the GOP-led initiative. Meanwhile, 58 Democrats voted against the measure, 38 voted present, and 22 did not vote.
Multiple Democrats who supported the resolution quickly issued statements clarifying their positions, rejecting political violence while condemning Kirk’s legacy and the partisan language in the resolution.
“I have a gay daughter. According to Charlie Kirk, she and her family should not be afforded the rights and security that he wanted for his own family,” Democratic Pennsylvania Rep. Chrissy Houlahan said in a statement after voting for the resolution.
“I voted YES today on the Resolution Honoring the life and legacy of Charles ‘Charlie’ James Kirk because no one should be subject to violence for expressing their beliefs. I never agreed with the right-wing rhetoric of Charlie Kirk, and I still don’t,” Democratic California Rep. Gil Cisneros added.
“His speech was hurtful and disrespectful towards women, people of color, and the LGBTQ community,” Cisneros continued. “I voted yes on this resolution because it condemns political violence. I voted yes because we cannot support political violence or any violence towards any individual.”
Similarly, Democratic Illinois Rep. Bill Foster, who also voted yes, released a statement saying he condemns the act of violence that took Charlie Kirk’s life but disagrees with his beliefs and harmful rhetoric.
Democratic Maryland Rep. Sarah Elfreth wrote on X that she voted for the resolution “not because I agreed with Mr. Kirk or shared his worldview, but because I swore an oath to uphold and defend a Constitution that guarantees our ability as Americans to have free and open debate without fear of violent repercussions.”
Elfreth added that Kirk made a living saying provocative things that, at worst, hurt and harmed others. She also noted it was unfortunate that the resolution includes language meant to further politicize Kirk’s death.
Elfreth made headlines earlier in July after she and other Democratic Maryland lawmakers staged a sit-in at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building in Baltimore. During the protest, Elfreth referred to some of the illegal immigrants in the facility as her constituents.
Shortly before the House’s vote, Democratic Maryland Rep. April McClain Delaney released a statement confirming her intention to vote for the resolution.
“Rage-fueled intolerance and algorithm-driven platforms threaten us all as Americans,” Delaney wrote in her pre-vote statement. She commended Republican Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and Democratic Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, stating, “We should take a page from their prudent and thoughtful leadership at this electrified time and remember that our behavior and our outbursts are being tracked not only nationally but globally.”
“Our diversity is our strength and underpins our national identity,” Delaney said toward the end of her statement.
The House resolution states that Charlie Kirk personified the values of the First Amendment, exercising his God-given right to speak freely, challenge prevailing narratives, and do so with honor, courage, and respect for his fellow Americans.
The text honors the life, leadership, and legacy of Charlie Kirk, whose steadfast dedication to the Constitution, civil discourse, and Biblical truth inspired a generation to cherish and defend the blessings of liberty.
“The tragic loss of Charlie Kirk must not be allowed to deepen the divides in our Nation,” the resolution states, “but instead serve as a turning point to recommit ourselves to ‘better angels,’ and to the timeless American principles of liberty governed by truth and the virtues of peaceful dialogue.”
https://dailycaller.com/2025/09/19/democrats-voted-charlie-kirk-statements/