Candace Owens has sharply pushed back against a post by Turning Point USA chief operating officer Tyler Bowyer, who compared the public treatment of Erika Kirk with the support shown to Massachusetts mother Lindsay Clancy during her murder trial. Owens argued that criticism of fundraising efforts for Clancy can exist alongside criticism of TPUSA’s handling of Charlie Kirk’s death, adding another tense chapter to her long-running clash with the organization.
Candace Owens challenges Tyler Bowyer over Erika Kirk comparison
The dispute began after Bowyer used X to contrast the backlash faced by Erika Kirk with the financial support surrounding Clancy’s legal case.His post stated, “strangle your three kids while evading your mental illness: ONE MILLION DOLLARS”.He then wrote, “lose your husband & father of your children but carry an organization with millions of followers on your back that recruits & registers young Patriots: A LIFETIME OF HARASSMENT”.Owens reposted Bowyer’s comments but rejected the comparison. She pointed to the commercial and fundraising activity surrounding Erika after Charlie Kirk’s death and questioned whether TPUSA should be weighing in on Clancy’s case at all.“You guys sold 50,000 t-shirts at the “event of the century” as Erika walked out to sparklers. You raised 40 million in one night at Mar-A-Lago as Erika was photographed over his bloody mic. It’s possible to disagree with fundraisers for Lindsay Clancy and also think TPUSA should sit this one out entirely.”Her response is significant because Owens has repeatedly criticized Erika Kirk and Turning Point USA since Charlie Kirk was killed. Rather than treating the controversy as a simple argument over Clancy, Owens has continued to use public posts to challenge how TPUSA has responded to the aftermath of Charlie’s death.
Erika Kirk and Lindsay Clancy controversy intensifies
The comparison comes as Clancy faces three murder charges in Massachusetts over the deaths of her children, Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months. She has pleaded not guilty.The case has also raised difficult questions about mental illness and criminal responsibility. If convicted, Clancy could face life in prison without parole. A finding of not guilty because of a lack of criminal responsibility could instead result in commitment to a state mental health facility.Meanwhile, Owens has continued questioning Erika Kirk publicly on several fronts. She has criticized Erika’s interactions with journalist Brandy Zadrozny, challenged the privacy surrounding Charlie Kirk’s burial location and raised broader questions about the events following his death.Charlie Kirk, 31, was fatally shot on September 10, 2025, during a student question-and-answer event at Utah Valley University in Orem, according to the university’s account of the shooting. Tyler Robinson has been accused in the killing.The latest exchange shows that the conflict surrounding Charlie Kirk’s legacy is far from settled. Owens’ response has shifted attention back toward the conduct of TPUSA itself, while Bowyer’s original post sought to highlight what he described as a stark difference in public sympathy. With both sides continuing to speak publicly, the controversy is likely to remain a major point of discussion among Kirk supporters and Owens’ audience.
