A Florida Democratic state representative stirred controversy Wednesday by disputing the characterization of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk’s murder as a political assassination, instead framing it as gun violence.
The remarks came during debate over a package of bills honoring Kirk and President Donald Trump, all of which passed the Florida House despite opposition from Democrats.
Rep. Ashley Viola Gantt questioned the merit of memorializing Kirk in the state, calling him “mediocre at best” and noting he had “no ties to Florida other than owning property.”
She added, “When we hear ‘assassination,’ that’s typically related to a person in a political position. Charlie Kirk died from gun violence. Okay. Words being accurate matters.”
Gantt also tied the discussion to broader policy debates on gun safety and crime statistics, The Post Millennial noted.
“We continuously advocate for gun policy legislation that would ensure that people who probably shouldn’t have a gun don’t have a gun,” she said.
She further suggested that lawmakers consider racial dynamics in crime, asking why debates often frame violent incidents through lenses like “white-on-white crime.”
Republicans defended the measures as recognition of free speech and civic engagement.
Rep. Juan Porras, a friend of Kirk, described him as a “modern-day civil rights leader” who inspired students across Florida and the nation.
“He fought to his death so that every single person had the right to say what they believed in,” Porras said, framing the Day of Remembrance as a stand against political violence.
The legislative package included three bills: HB 125, establishing October 14 as Charlie Kirk Day of Remembrance; HB 33, naming a portion of SW 107th Avenue in Miami-Dade County as Charlie Kirk Memorial Avenue and a section of Commercial Boulevard as President Donald J. Trump Boulevard; and SB 628, renaming a 124-mile stretch of State Road 80 as the President Donald J. Trump Highway.
All three measures passed along party lines and now move to the Senate, according to Florida’s Voice.
Republican lawmakers defended honoring living figures, citing precedent with Ronald Reagan, and emphasized Kirk’s and Trump’s contributions to public life.
“When you drive down State Road 80, it will be a memorial designation to the only president that has ever been from Florida,” said Rep. Robert Brannan in support of the highway bill.
The Florida vote mirrors a separate controversy in Texas.
Resist the Mainstream highlighted earlier this week that a Bastrop County Republican commissioner withdrew a proposal to rename a state road after Kirk following local opposition.
Both incidents highlight the partisan tensions that arise when honoring contemporary conservative figures and reflect broader national debates over commemoration, political legacy, and free speech.
Despite criticism from Democrats, who labeled the bills divisive and offensive, the Republican majority held firm.
SB 628 passed 82-26, HB 125 passed 82-31, and HB 33 passed 82-30.
Supporters described the designations as symbolic tributes that celebrate civic engagement and defend the principle of public discourse, while opponents continue to question the appropriateness of memorializing figures still alive or recently deceased.
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