Democratic congresswoman accuses Charlie Kirk of 'advocating for a Christian nationalist government'

A Democratic lawmaker accused conservative activist Charlie Kirk of advocating against the rights of women and Black people, following the House's passage of a resolution honoring his life.

"I take my oath to the Constitution seriously. I believe in free speech and that the First Amendment wouldn’t be necessary if it were only meant to cover language we agreed with," Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., a Democratic nominee for governor, said in a statement. "It is meant to protect people like Charlie Kirk who present vile dissenting views. But it is also meant to protect teachers, doctors and TV comedians who may express views the president doesn’t like."

Sherrill argued that Kirk was "advocating for a Christian nationalist government and to roll back the rights of women and Black people."

"This flies in the face of every value I hold dear and that I fight for," she said, adding that the "Constitution protects free speech, even for those I vehemently oppose."

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) was also among the House Democrats who voted against the resolution.

"Charlie Kirk's efforts to dismantle rights for women, Black Americans, and other marginalized communities are well-documented," Omar said. "For the House of Representatives to honor him in such a way is not just misguided, it's a betrayal of our values as a nation."

On Friday, 58 Democrats voted against the resolution while 38 voted present and 26 did not vote. There were 95 Democrats who voted yes. The resolution passed with 310 total votes.

For comparison, only 3 Democrats on Friday did not cast a vote on the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act of 2026, a separate measure, and zero voted present.

The Senate unanimously passed a similar resolution honoring Kirk earlier in the week. The Senate version was shorter in length compared to the House version.