Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick earlier pledged $1 million to support the expansion.
Turning Point USA (TPUSA) has received the support of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to expand its Club America student groups into more Texas high schools in the coming years.
Texas is already home to around 500 active high school student clubs—of 3,000 total clubs nationwide—more than any other state, according to TPUSA.
The announcement was made at a Dec. 8 press conference at the governor’s mansion, featuring Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and TPUSA Senior Director Josh Thifault, all of whom spoke about the mission of TPUSA.
TPUSA was started by the late Charlie Kirk, who toured the nation debating students about morality and politics. He was assassinated at a campus event in Utah on Sept. 10 this year.
According to Thifault, Club America teaches students about the founding of the country, the value of marriage and family, and Christianity.
Abbott offered his support for the group’s presence in high schools, saying that “any school that stands in the way of a club America program in their school should be reported immediately to the Texas Education Agency, where I expect meaningful disciplinary action to be taking place for any stoppage of TPUSA in the great state of Texas.”
Abbott called the Turning Point USA students assembled at the governor’s mansion the “future leaders of the Lone Star state.”
Patrick relayed a personal anecdote regarding the expansion of TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk’s mission following his death, saying that his grandson, who is a freshman in high school, didn’t know about Kirk until he was assassinated.
Patrick said his grandson and friends are now involved in one of the biggest TPUSA chapters in the state.
Just weeks ago, Patrick donated $1 million of his campaign funds to TPUSA to help chapters of the group’s high school and college programs in Texas.
“I was always inspired by [Charlie’s] mission ‘to identify, educate, train, and organize students to promote the principles of freedom, free markets, and limited government,’” Patrick said in a statement after announcing the donation.
“Charlie was confident he could do that. Later, he brought his faith into his discussions on campus with boldness and conviction that only grew his following.”
