A Texas Republican county commissioner withdrew a proposal Monday to rename a state road after the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk following community opposition in Bastrop County.
Commissioner David Glass had placed the measure on the official agenda for the Bastrop County Commissioners meeting, seeking to rename FM 969 the “Charlie Kirk Corridor.”
FM 969 is a state-maintained farm-to-market road running through both Bastrop and Travis counties. The Texas state capital of Austin is located in Travis County.
The Austin American-Statesman reported that Glass had prepared background documentation for his fellow commissioners outlining his case for the renaming.
In his written summary, he stated that the road serves as “a growing transportation corridor serving the local community, and the naming of such roadways in honor of exemplary citizens represents an enduring way to acknowledge their legacy.”
Glass also wrote that “Kirk’s activism emphasized civic participation, free speech, and political engagement among youth, building a national network of student activists and influencing political discourse on college campuses and beyond.”
The commissioner pointed to the tens of thousands of attendees at Kirk’s memorial service at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona—including President Donald Trump—as evidence of what he described as “the broad impact of his work in shaping civic and political engagement across the nation.”
Kirk was assassinated on Sept. 10 at Utah Valley University while participating in a Turning Point USA event.
More than 100 residents packed the Bastrop County Commissioners meeting to speak either in support of or in opposition to the proposed renaming, according to the Austin American-Statesman.
During the meeting, Glass drew a comparison between Kirk’s cultural impact on his generation and that of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Glass also noted that three roads in Bastrop County already carry the civil rights leader’s name.
The commissioners held a 30-minute public comment session, during which residents on both sides of the issue addressed the board.
Sumai Lokumbe, a speaker opposed to the resolution, called the comparison between Kirk and King “a disgrace.”
She stated, “We need to start promoting equality, we need to start loving each other.”
Mark White, a resident who spoke in favor of the resolution, described Kirk as an “American patriot and Christian” who encouraged young people to participate in the political process.
“His message was grounded in American exceptionalism and a positive spirit of action,” White said.
He also noted that Turning Point USA’s stated mission includes promoting fiscal responsibility, limited government, and free markets.
Following the public comment period, Glass chose to table the resolution rather than bring it to a vote.
In a subsequent email to the Austin American-Statesman, Glass confirmed he does not plan to revive the proposal. “I’m going to take a breath and have some more conversations with my constituents,” he said.
Bastrop County is not the only jurisdiction to consider honoring Kirk with a road name. The Daytona Beach News-Journal previously reported that Lake County, Florida, became the first local government to name a road after Kirk, doing so in October.
KNXV-TV reported that the Arizona State Senate voted last week to rename Loop 202, a freeway running along the southeast side of the Phoenix metro area near Turning Point USA’s headquarters, the “Charlie Kirk Highway.”
That legislation now moves to the Arizona House, where Republicans hold a majority. Should the bill pass the House, it will be sent to Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs for final approval.
