The death of Charlie Kirk has left a gaping hole in the new-right media eco-system. While conservative voices such as Ben Shapiro, Tucker Carlson, and Candace Owens speak across generations, Kirk spoke directly to Gen Z through Instagram memes, TikTok-friendly sound bites, and the campus tours of his organization, Turning Point USA.
Who will fill that role now? J. D. Vance and Megyn Kelly have hosted editions of The Charlie Kirk Show, and it was announced on Thursday that Kirk’s widow, Erika, will be taking over as C.E.O. of Turning Point USA. But there is a whole universe of hyper-online, far-right figures who already command the attention of young conservatives. Most of these commentators, influencers, and rabble-rousers operate outside the mainstream-media spotlight, yet their influence is vast, shaping how the next generation thinks about race, gender, government, and truth itself.
Here are eight names you probably aren’t familiar with—but should be.
1.
Nick Fuentes
Age: 27. Infamously dined with Donald Trump and Kanye West at Mar-a-Lago in 2022, but later broke with Trump and Kirk, accusing them of running “a giant cult-like scam.” Leads the America First Political Action Conference and the self-styled Groyper Army, a movement of young white nationalists so extreme they believe MAGA hasn’t gone far enough. (MAGA rating: 10/10)
2.
Matt Walsh
Age: 39. A host and provocateur on the Daily Wire, a conservative media company, became one of the right’s prominent anti-trans voices with his film What Is a Woman? Frames his activism in apocalyptic religious terms, warning of “demonic forces from the pit of Hell.” With more than 11 million followers across X, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook, Walsh ranks among the right’s most influential culture warriors. (MAGA rating: 9.5/10)
3.
Jack Posobiec
Age: 40. A former navy officer turned conspiracy theorist and commentator, Posobiec hosts a popular Turning Point USA show and was a close ally of Kirk’s. Speaks often about “white genocide” and was a key pusher of the Pizzagate conspiracy theory in 2017. Has spoken openly to his two million X followers that his goal is to “overthrow” democracy. (MAGA rating: 8.5/10)
4.
Benny Johnson
Age: 38. Fired from BuzzFeed for plagiarism and later suspended from the Independent Journal Review for publishing Obama-related conspiracy theories, he has re-invented himself as a meme-driven commentator packaging culture-war politics into short, viral videos designed for maximum shareability among his nearly four million followers on X. Invited to attend press briefings at the White House. (MAGA rating: 8/10)
5.
Allie Beth Stuckey
Age: 33. Her Facebook page, the Conservative Millennial, gained a following among young evangelical women. Went viral in 2018 with a parody video of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and now hosts the “Christian, conservative” podcast Relatable, while publishing books such as You’re Not Enough (And That’s Okay) and Toxic Empathy. Dubbed a “new Phyllis Schlafly” by The Atlantic, she has pushed issues such as surrogacy bans into the G.O.P. mainstream, and to her two and a half million followers. (MAGA rating: 7.5/10)
6.
Collin Rugg
Age: 28. The co-owner of Trending Politics, a conservative news platform, he specializes in viral headlines and rapid-fire aggregation. With just under two million followers on X, he is less of a household name than Posobiec or Johnson, but he exemplifies the new breed of conservative influencers who prioritize speed and algorithm dominance over traditional commentary. (MAGA rating: 6.5/10)
7.
Brett Cooper
Age: 23. The Gen Z conservative influencer and newly minted Fox News contributor hosts a popular YouTube show that mixes entertainment gossip with anti-feminist, anti-abortion, and anti-trans messaging. On Instagram, shares glimpses of her new life on a farm with her husband and baby, while declaring that feminism exists to “make men angry and dominate them.” Has nearly 10 million followers across her social-media platforms. (MAGA rating: 6.5/10)
8.
Adin Ross
Age: 24. A hugely popular live-streamer who has normalized far-right voices for millions of Gen Z viewers through his interviews with Trump, West, Andrew Tate, and Fuentes. Though not exactly a political commentator, his platforms—Twitch, Kick, YouTube, Instagram, and X—reach more than 20 million followers. He has faced repeated bans and controversies for spreading hateful content and courting extremist guests. (MAGA rating: 5/10)
Clara Molot is the Investigations Editor at AIR MAIL
