Tuberville says conservatives need to keep up dialogue at universities in memory of Charlie Kirk

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., said Thursday that conservatives need to keep having conversations on college campuses in memory of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. 

"At the end of the day, what would Charlie want?" Tuberville asked on the "Just the News, No Noise" TV show. "Somebody's got to take the bull by the horn and continue this dialogue, because we cannot be shut out from college campuses."

Kirk was killed at a rally at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.

Kirk has been one of the most influential voices on the right in recent years, notably founding Turning Point USA chapters at universities across the country and hosting speakers' summits for young conservatives.

"If that happens, we lose," Tuberville said. "We can't lose these young 18-to-23-year-olds to an ideology that does not fit Christianity or our Constitution."

He said that because of Kirk's death, some universities may end up pulling the plug on allowing commentators to just come on campus. 

"I'm not saying everybody on these college campuses are bad," he said. "I'm just saying they're looking at the worst circumstances in which to say, 'okay, we don't want to be held liable for this.'"