GOP Turmoil: Redistricting Backlash, Shutdown Threats, and the Aftermath of Charlie Kirk's Shocking Death

This is your RNC News podcast.

The Republican Party and the RNC have been at the center of major headlines and urgent developments over the past several days. The GOP, now with Donald Trump settled into his second, non-consecutive presidential term after defeating Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, is steering a strongly conservative agenda from the White House. Trump’s administration recently pushed through several high-profile “claw back” cuts targeting foreign aid and public broadcasting—most notably resulting in significant funding cuts to NPR and PBS, sparking debates about rural access and media independence. In Congress, Republicans hold a reduced House majority and have wrested control of the Senate, relying on Vice President JD Vance’s tie-breaking votes for narrow legislative victories.

Amid this, there is a looming threat of a government shutdown. Senate Democrats, led by Chuck Schumer, are at odds with Republican leaders over government funding, with both sides blaming each other for the current impasse. Schumer has emphasized that Republicans, controlling Congress and the White House, bear the responsibility to prevent a shutdown and has insisted Democrats won’t settle for a GOP-authored funding plan lacking bipartisan negotiation and compromise.

Polling data, such as that published by RealClearPolling, indicates that the Republican Party’s favorability remains underwater, with unfavorable ratings above 54 percent among the public. However, divisions exist within the party and among its supporters. A recent poll from Common Cause found significant backlash—even from a majority of Republican and Independent voters—against mid-decade redistricting moves spearheaded by the Trump White House. The poll shows that most voters, including those who backed Trump, oppose efforts to reshape electoral maps for partisan advantage, pushing instead for independent citizen commissions to draw district boundaries and expressing fatigue with partisan gerrymandering.

A major headline reverberating across the political spectrum was the death of Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, who was shot and killed during a speaking event at a Utah university just days ago. Kirk was widely credited for energizing young conservatives, expanding GOP grassroots efforts, and becoming a central driving force behind Republican electoral gains in the past cycle. Kirk’s death shocked party leadership, with Donald Trump ordering flags lowered to half-staff and tributes highlighting Kirk’s outsize influence on youth voter outreach and party messaging. His death drew comparisons to the era’s rising threats against public figures, including the previous attempted assassination of Trump himself during the 2024 campaign.

Behind the scenes, Turning Point USA, under Kirk’s leadership, significantly boosted the GOP’s ground game, targeting young voters and using platforms like TikTok to amplify the party’s message. His approach often clashed with the party’s establishment, advocating a populist, combative direction that has now become dominant in the party’s culture.

The party’s base, meanwhile, has grown increasingly split on some strategic decisions. For example, while the White House continues to push partisan advantages in redistricting, a majority of Republican voters now favor reforms that restrict mid-decade manipulations and want independent oversight. This tension reveals an internal debate about party direction and democratic norms.

As these political battles play out, Trump’s messaging remains sharply critical of the press, particularly targeting CNN and MSNBC, and he has made it clear that future support from him or the party will depend on whether lawmakers align with his agenda, particularly in areas like media defunding.

Finally, looking ahead, the GOP is preparing for ongoing legislative fights, the threat of a shutdown, and continued internal...