中期选举来临——共和党人似乎再次为“转折点美国”感到担忧。查理·柯克的这个保守派活动团体在“让美国再次伟大”运动中拥有很大影响力。但正如我近年来所指出的，这个资金雄厚的组织也有着可疑支出的记录，并在不同层级的关键选举竞争中支持过败选者。
The midterm elections are here — and Republicans appear to be once again fretting over Turning Point USA. Charlie Kirk’s conservative activist group has a lot of clout within the MAGA movement. But as I’ve noted in recent years, the well-funded organization also has a track record of questionable spending and backing losers in key electoral races of varying stature.
有些案例实在令人费解。还记得布莱克·马斯特斯吗？还有约翰·吉布斯？这些以及其他例子引发了一些共和党人对“转折点”做法和影响力的批评。显然，候选人素质问题一直萦绕在一些保守派心头，因为一批获得“转折点”背书或与其有关联的候选人发现自己身处竞争激烈的竞选中。
Some true oddities, really. Remember Blake Masters? Or John Gibbs? These and other examples have prompted some GOP criticism of Turning Point’s practices and influence. And concerns about candidate quality have apparently been weighing on some conservatives’ minds, as a bunch of candidates endorsed by or affiliated with Turning Point find themselves in competitive races.
《政治客》在一篇关于共和党人对安迪·比格斯亚利桑那州州长竞选发牢骚的报道中聚焦了这些担忧。正如标题所言：“转折点将声誉押注在安迪·比格斯的竞选上。前景不妙。”
Politico spotlighted these concerns in a report on Republican kvetching over Andy Biggs’ gubernatorial campaign in Arizona. As the headline says: “Turning Point rests its reputation on Andy Biggs’ race. It’s not looking good.”
报道指出，民调显示比格斯落后于现任民主党候选人凯蒂·霍布斯，他是柯克在遇刺前背书的最后一位候选人。报道还引用了多位共和党人的批评：“如果J·D·万斯打算竞选总统，我认为重新评估他可能利用‘转折点行动’作为其实地竞选运营的任何想法将是个好主意，”吉娜·斯沃博达说，她是亚利桑那州共和党前主席，曾公开与该组织交锋。
The report notes that Biggs, whom polls have shown trailing incumbent Democratic candidate Katie Hobbs, was the last candidate to be endorsed by Kirk before his assassination. And it quotes multiple Republicans criticizing Turning Point: “If JD Vance intends to run for president, I think it would be a good idea to reevaluate any thoughts he might have about utilizing Turning Point Action as his field operation,” said Gina Swoboda, a former chair of the Arizona Republican Party who has openly sparred with the organization.
斯沃博达在接受《凤凰城新时报》采访时，又对“转折点”发起一次抨击：“我对他们的不满在于，他们一次又一次、一次又一次地输，他们周二也会输。”“转折点”影响力不佳在其他地方也显而易见。
In another swipe at Turning Point, Swoboda told the Phoenix New Times: “The problem I have with them is that they lose over and over and over again, and they will lose on Tuesday.”Turning Point’s underwhelming influence is evident elsewhere, too.
很多人认识科罗拉多州州长候选人维克多·马克思，是因为他声称自己小时候杀过人，并说在驱魔仪式中见过撒旦。鲜为人知的是，柯克利用“转折点”帮助马克思获得了全国知名度。这一行动包括由TPUSA制作的一段视频，视频中马克思与柯克同框出镜，马克思被包装为“如何捍卫家庭”的权威——尽管他后来公开吹嘘曾推搡妻子。
A lot of people know Colorado gubernatorial candidate Victor Marx as the guy who claims to have killed a man as a child and says he met Satan during an exorcism. Fewer people are aware that Kirk used Turning Point to help Marx gain a national profile. That effort featured a TPUSA-produced video starring the two in which Marx, who has since openly bragged about shoving his wife, is presented as an authority on “How to Stand Up for Your Family.”
在北卡罗来纳州，民主党人罗伊·库珀试图翻转即将卸任的参议员汤姆·蒂利斯留下的席位——而共和党候选人迈克尔·沃特利多年来一直得到“转折点”的捧场。该组织成功施压罗娜·麦克丹尼尔于2024年辞去共和党全国委员会主席职务，并在沃特利接任主席后开始为其造势。
In North Carolina, Democrat Roy Cooper is trying to flip the seat being vacated by outgoing Sen. Thom Tillis — and the Republican candidate, Michael Whatley, has had his profile boosted by Turning Point for years. The group successfully pressured Ronna McDaniel to step down as leader of the Republican National Committee in 2024 and began promoting Whatley once he became chair.
如今，“转折点”在一场可能大败的竞选中背书沃特利，这将成为这个战绩寥寥却影响力巨大的组织又一桩失利。
Now, Turning Point has endorsed Whatley in a race he may lose bigly, which would be yet another loss for a group with few wins to show for its outsize influence.