Nearly 8 in 10 American voters see US in ‘political crisis’ in wake of Charlie Kirk assassination: Poll

By Beril Canakci

ISTANBUL (AA) - Nearly eight in 10 US voters say the country is in a political crisis, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday, reflecting concerns following the assassination earlier this month of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

The poll of registered voters found 79% of Americans believe the United States is in a political crisis, while 18% said it is not. Broken down by party, 93% of Democrats, 84% of independents, and 60% of Republicans agreed.

Kirk, 31, was fatally shot on Sept. 10 while speaking at an outdoor event at a Utah university.

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty if the lone suspect is convicted. Although the motive in the killing is unclear, many in the public have characterized it as politically motivated, fueling national debates over political violence.

“The Kirk assassination lays bare raw, bipartisan concerns about where the country is headed,” said Tim Malloy, a polling analyst at Quinnipiac.

Nearly six in 10 voters (58%) said they do not believe it will be possible to lower the temperature on political rhetoric and speech. A majority (54%) also said they expect political violence in the US to worsen over the next few years.