Gov. Mike Braun gives opening remarks at the Turning Point USA event at Indiana University in Bloomington on Oct. 21, 2025. (Photo by Madelyn Hanes for the Indiana Capital Chronicle)
BLOOMINGTON — Indiana Gov. Mike Braun provided the warmup for the Turning Point USA event Tuesday evening at the Indiana University auditorium.
The sold-out event, part of the group’s “American Comeback Tour,” drew thousands to hear Braun and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who headlined following founder Charlie Kirk’s assassination last month.
“What Charlie represented was not being embarrassed about what I ran on and what got me into the game in the first place, faith, family and community,” he said. “You throw a little freedom and opportunity on top of that, we never should shy away from shouting it into the rafters.”
The Bloomington stop came weeks after Kirk was killed Sept. 10 during the tour’s kickoff at Utah Valley University. Police arrested 22-year-old Tyler Robison, who remains held without bail at the Utah County Jail.
The event drew more than 3,000 people with a long standby line outside.
Governor remarks
Braun, a former U.S. senator who left Washington to lead Indiana, framed the moment as traditional values vs. prioritizing government over individual liberty.
“We’re in a classic battle between those values and folks that believe government is the most important thing in your life. Don’t ever go there. Always resist it. Be loud about it. Can I count on you for that?” he asked.
Braun drew hearty applause from the audience, many of whom wore red and white Turning Point USA hats or waved small American flags. He credited Kirk for encouraging open debate and for drawing young conservatives into civics.
“Charlie invited that. That was unusual. Most people didn’t want to go into the lion’s den. They wanted to be safe,” he said.
For much of his address, Braun mixed personal stories with political reflection. He spoke about risks he took in his career, his experience running a family business and his decision to leave Washington to serve as governor.
“You won’t go anywhere in life without sticking your neck out,” he said. “Take risks on the things you believe in, and then work your butts off to do it.”
Braun warned that conservatives have been “flat-footed” while opponents dominate the media and campuses. He praised TPUSA’s growth to thousands of chapters, urging the audience to be “foot soldiers.”
He closed his remarks with a story about President Donald Trump and longtime Indiana basketball coach Bobby Knight, recalling a 2016 campaign stop when Knight told him, “All you’ve got to do is listen to the Donald, and you’ll be okay.”
Following Braun’s remarks, Carlson took the stage with his two dogs and answered questions from the audience after only a short intro.
Tucker time
“I always envied Charlie, first going to college campuses … since I left college in shame 35 years ago,” he joked. “But I love the idea of people being able to ask any question they want, and I just had spent my life giving a ton of speeches and taking relatively few questions. So I am grateful I’m the beneficiary of this.”
He added: “Please hit me with your questions. You can’t hurt my feelings. I will answer it as honestly as I possibly can and as cheerful as I can.”
At one point, a questioner said “let’s go Hoosiers” and Carlson responded with “before we endorse the Hoosiers. Can you explain what a Hoosier is?”
“No clue,” the student answered.
“You’re not alone,” Carlson quipped. “By the way, nobody in Indiana knows what a Hoosier is, because there’s no definition of it, which I say, go Hoosiers.”
It wasn’t just Braun who attended the event. Other GOP officeholders — including Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith and Indiana Treasurer Daniel Elliott — posted on social media after the show.
“What an awesome evening,” Elliott said. “Always inspiring to see so many young Hoosiers fired up about defending our values and shaping the future of this great nation.”
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