Turning Point USA's Charlie Kirk at California State University, Northridge in Southern California on March 6, 2025 (Sua Sponte Photography/Shutterstock.com)
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) vetoed the legislature's latest attempt honor Charlie Kirk with a specialty license plate that would have given money to his far-right organization Turning Point USA.
"Charlie Kirk’s assassination is tragic and a horrifying act of violence," Hobbs wrote in her veto letter. "In America, we resolve our political differences at the ballot box. No matter who it targets, political violence puts us all in harm’s way and damages our sacred democratic institutions."
There are currently specialty license plates that contribute to autism research, fallen police officers, the Make-a-Wish Foundation, the Navajo Nation Department of Highway Safety, the Arizona Veterans Donation Fund, the Special Olympics as well as sports teams and colleges, to name a few. Each license plate gives $17 to the groups each time they are renewed. There isn't a license plate that singles out a specific person. There also isn't a license plate for a specific political party.
Hobbs said that she's open to working with the legislature to find ways to bring people together, but the existing bill "falls short."
The refusal prompted anger and frustration from some on the right.
Sen. Jake Hoffman (R) unleashed his anger at the governor on X.
"Katie Hobbs’ grotesque partisanship knows no bounds. Even in the wake of a global civil rights leader — an Arizona resident and her own constituent — being assassinated in broad daylight for his defense of the First Amendment, Hobbs couldn’t find the human decency to put her far-Left extremism aside simply to allow those how wish to honor him to do so," he posted. "Katie Hobbs will forever be known as a stain on the pages of Arizona’s story."
"Katie Hobbs wants you to forget about Charlie Kirk. Good reason to show up and vote this year," commented internet personality Tyler Bowyer, who is now the COO of Turning Point USA.
Arizona Republican Rep. Andy Biggs, who announced he will run for governor, ripped Hobbs, and called Kirk “one of America’s most influential voices and leaders.”
"He made his home in Arizona, building a company and raising a family in this state before he was assassinated because of his political beliefs," Biggs said. "Katie Hobbs had a chance to honor Charlie and she vetoed it. A simple license plate for Arizonans to show they stand with Charlie for freedom and Katie Hobbs vetoed it. We should not forget this petty and callous act."
"Arizona MeeMaw," Thelma Johnson replied to his comment, saying, "Katie is doing what we hired her to do, Andy. $17 a plate going right into Erika Kirk and Tyler Bowyer's pockets is wrong, they are a partisan organization. I voted for this."
"Katie Hobbs vetoed our Charlie Kirk license plate. FIRST-TIME-EVER VETO of a LICENSE PLATE. Arizona has 60+ different license plates. She loathes us," conservative Arizona Sen. Wendy Rogers raged on X.