Despite rainy weather and cold temperatures, students began lining up outside The Sandy and John Black Pavilion at the University of Mississippi for Vice President JD Vance and Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk’s “This is the Turning Point Tour” stop as early as 10:15 this morning. Doors for the event will open at 3 p.m. and the event starts at 5 p.m.
The UM stop of the “This is the Turning Point Tour” today marks the only appearance of Vance or Kirk for the tour.
According to a campus-wide email from Provost Noel Wilkin, event-goers were not supposed to begin forming in line until 11 a.m. There was a dedicated line for students; most of the students were from UM, but students from the University of Memphis were also in line early.
One of the first people in line was UM student Hayden Gasaway, a political science major from Marble Falls, Texas.
“We’re in line to really support our country and support the vice president, who’s taking time out of his busy schedule to be here today,” Gasaway said.
Mitchell Plane, a junior risk management and insurance major from Monte Vista, Colo., was also in line early for the event.
“We’re going to hear straight from the man’s mouth some things that a lot of people otherwise wouldn’t … in a normal news conference or anything like that,” Plane said. “This is a very intimate and personal thing that we’re gonna be able to take part in today.”
Caden Kopf, a UM freshman professional sales major from Brandon, Miss., shared why he got in line early.
“First of all, I’m out here early because I know the event is going to be packed, and I know there’s an email out to get a free hat. And I really wanted a good seat,” Kopf said.
Students were excited at the prospect asking the vice president questions.
“I think the part a lot of people are excited for is if there’s a questions portion where we get to hear some of the students asking the questions that are on their mind and see how the vice president responds,” Gasaway said.
Kopf was particularly excited for the opportunity to ask Vance a question about his future political plans.
“If I get to ask a question myself, that’d be nice to me, but I’m just curious how the students on our campus are feeling about everything and just what their opinions are about the United States as a whole,” Kopf said. “I would ask the vice president if he was going to run for president (in the) next election — that’s my question.”
Landon Page, a University of Memphis student, is looking forward to seeing Kirk but is also eager to ask Vance questions.
“Honestly, seeing (Erika) Kirk in public again for the first time would be pretty nice,” Page said. “But I’m mostly here for the (vice) president. (I am) mostly here to pressure him on some questions, if I can.”
