'Drowned him out': GOP gov booed by his own party for 'grandstanding' on Kirk’s death

Utah Governor Spencer Cox (R) was booed Tuesday night at an appearance at Utah State University as part of "The American Comeback Tour," a roadshow by Turning Point USA, the organization founded by slain MAGA influencer Charlie Kirk, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.

In addition to Cox the panel, led by Turning Point's Tyler Bowyer, included U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) and Utah’s former Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R), now a commentator on Fox News.

Cox, who was there in place of Kirk, recounted his experience the day the podcaster was murdered on the campus of Utah Valley University, when he drew bipartisan praise for condemning "toxic political division and violence."

But the audience, clocked in at about 5,500 people and "dotted with red MAGA hats," reports the Tribune, "drowned him out."

Bowyer asked a question attacking what he called Cox’s “soft Utah approach,” which the conservative activist claimed “has enabled some people that are mentally ill."

The question only added to the audience's ire, especially when Cox responded: “Peacemaking is not soft.”

“It’s the hardest thing,” Cox continued. “That’s what Charlie understood. And this matters because there is a rift in our party.”

According to the Tribune, this is not the first time the Governor was booed by his own party, having "repeatedly been shouted down at the Utah Republican Party’s annual convention."

Outside the event, conservative protesters with signs condemned Cox's appearance there.

“He is the very first governor in the state of Utah to ever declare June Pride Month,” conservative protester Sophie Anderson told the Tribune.

After Cox vetoed a ban on transgender girls from school sports in 2022, Kirk posted, “Utah Governor Spencer Cox should be expelled from the Republican party.”

“Charlie Kirk knew about Spencer Cox. He called for his expulsion from the Republican Party. And currently,” local Republican activist Teena Horlacher said, “Spencer Cox is grandstanding on the assassination of Charlie Kirk.”