The Charlie Kirk Show – Episode Summary

Episode Title: No Democrats for Utah! + The Legacy of Jesse Jackson
Date: February 18, 2026
Host: Charlie Kirk with guests Rob Axson (Chairman, Utah GOP), Mike Davis (Article 3 Project), co-hosts and contributors

Overview

This episode centers on three major themes:

1. Utah’s fight to repeal Proposition 4 and prevent Democrats from influencing its redistricting process.
2. A retrospective on the life and political legacy of Rev. Jesse Jackson.
3. Critique of higher education—specifically elite universities like Harvard and Berkeley—focused on how activism has permeated academics and the failures of current federal funding policies.
   Bonus: Extended debates over the Epstein files, the challenge of criminal prosecution, and conservative activism in justice and education.

1. Utah’s Proposition 4 and Redistricting Efforts

Segment: 01:09–10:39

Key Points

• Guest Rob Axson, Utah GOP chair, joins to discuss the massive grassroots effort to repeal Proposition 4, a measure that previously established an “independent” redistricting commission in Utah.
• In 2018, Proposition 4 narrowly passed, creating a commission to recommend legislative maps. A series of lawsuits led to a state court judge discarding maps approved by the legislature in favor of those submitted by a private group.
• Axson and Kirk argue this undermines representative democracy and constitutional processes.
• In a remarkable show of conservative organizing, the coalition (with help from Turning Point Action and others) surpassed signature requirements—with over 200,000 signatures gathered (well beyond the 141,000 needed), engaging all of Utah’s 29 Senate districts.
• There is a provision in Utah law allowing signatories to remove their names for ~45 days after verification; the left, according to Axson, is spending "$4 million" to pressure people to withdraw their names, a move framed as intimidation by both Axson and Kirk.

Notable Quotes

• “All we did is put this on the ballot. All this does is give it to Utahns to make a decision instead of one judge.” — Rob Axson (05:12)
• "Trust the people of Utah. Don't listen to these angry activist groups. Don't listen to a judge, don't listen to an elected official. Let's give it to the people of Utah." — Axson (07:01)
• “It was a partnership...I am grateful for every Utahn who signed on to this, every Utahn who supported and volunteered and all of those partners outside of Utah." — Axson (08:58)

Timestamps

• [01:09] – Rob Axson introduction
• [02:07] – History of Prop 4 and court interventions
• [05:01] – Signature count and certification process
• [06:45] – Countering signature removal campaigns
• [08:55] – Political implications of new maps

2. The Legacy of Jesse Jackson

Segment: 11:52–18:51

Key Points

• The hosts discuss the death of Rev. Jesse Jackson at 84, his position as a transitional and controversial figure within the Democratic Party, and the broader shift among Christian leaders from pro-life to pro-choice positions.
• A substantial focus is on Jackson's early pro-life advocacy and later political realignment to the pro-choice Democratic mainstream. The hosts see this as a personal tragedy and a broader failing in American politics.
• Reference to Jackson's influence on American political discourse, his association with Martin Luther King Jr., and his coining of the term "African American."
• Discussion of a viral “hot mic” moment where Jackson disparaged Barack Obama with crude language, showing his complicated relationship with the next generation of black leaders.
• President Trump’s tribute to Jackson is read aloud, highlighting their unlikely friendship and contrasting legacies.

Notable Quotes

• "He called [abortion] genocide, he called it murder. He was a child born out of wedlock...and by the 1980s...he changed his views to align with the Democrat party platform, which is shameful actually." — Charlie Kirk (12:51)
• “He really could have been a transformational figure if he’d held the line on the life issue.” — Co-Host (18:18)
• “[Jesse Jackson] used that [association with MLK] to understandably claim a leadership role in the movement. He was only in his 20s at the time.” — Co-Host (14:44)
• “He was a man with a very mixed history, certainly some good with some bad. I would say he ended not as well, not as strong.” — Charlie Kirk (17:26)
• “[On the Democratic Party’s change:] In like the 60s and 70s it was actually...a live issue whether...which party might end up being the pro life one.” — Co-Host (13:23)
• “If he'd remained firm on that issue…and we will not change in that, he could have really reshaped the trajectory of America in a powerfully pro life Christian direction.” — Co-Host (13:53)

Memorable Moment

• Discussion of a radio segment, "What the Hell Did Jesse Jackson Say?", poking fun at Jackson's sometimes unintelligible public speaking style (17:50).

Timestamps

• [11:52] – Introduction to the segment; announcement of Jackson's passing
• [12:04] – Jackson’s pro-life stance and political change
• [13:21] – Party shifts on abortion
• [14:29] – Jackson’s civil rights legacy
• [15:05] – His influence on terminology & viral gaffes
• [15:56] – Famous Obama comment (audio played)
• [16:26] – Trump’s tribute to Jackson

3. Justice System, The Epstein Files, and Conservative Activism

Segment: 19:58–30:54

Key Points

• Guest Mike Davis provides legal analysis on the failed hopes surrounding the unsealing of Epstein files:
  • The anticipated "smoking guns" proving criminality among elites were not revealed.
  • Grand jury evidence is secret, and many allegations are hearsay or lack direct victims testifying.
• Critique of recent legislative efforts by Rep. Thomas Massie and others, labeling them as “grandstanders” more interested in political gain.
• Frustration that DOJ resources are diverted to endless document review on Epstein rather than actionable prosecutions, especially given the lack of new evidence or direct, testifying victims.
• Broader points on misallocation of federal resources, the importance of proper legal procedures, and the dangers of smearing innocents.

Notable Quotes

• “Anyone who rapes kids deserves the death penalty. True. No lies detected. Here’s the problem with the Epstein mess: The FBI doesn’t have the evidence many thought it did.” — Mike Davis (21:09)
• “If you want to bring criminal charges, you need actual alleged specific acts by specific people.” — Co-Host (25:47)
• “You can’t ignore the Constitution. If you don’t like it, you can change the constitution, but you can’t ignore it. Certainly not by one judge.” — Axson (03:30)

Timestamps

• [19:58] – Mike Davis segment begins
• [21:17] – Davis on the Reality of the Epstein Evidence
• [23:56] – Legal standards for prosecution
• [26:32] – How the Epstein review distracts from other DOJ priorities
• [29:35] – Status of other DOJ investigations, e.g., Somali fraud
• [30:29] – Debate on “intel agency ties”; missing/destroyed evidence
• [30:54] – “No lies detected” and segment close

4. Higher Education: Activist Academia and Conservative Counterpoints

Segment: 32:04–38:45

Key Points

• Harvard and Berkeley targeted for criticism over academic courses and student activism described as thinly veiled left-wing political organizing.
  • Harvard history class that consists of students working on asylum cases for illegal immigrants, which hosts claim is a misuse of tuition and taxpayer support.
  • Berkeley students and professor involved in extensive politically motivated Wikipedia edits focused on "queer" and critical race theory content—viewed as evidence of institutional leftist bias.
• Discussion of Supreme Court decisions (Students for Fair Admission v. Harvard) and continued alleged discrimination against whites and Asians in Ivy League admissions.
• Calls for actions such as taxing large university endowments and redirecting federal resources to hold elite universities accountable.

Notable Quotes

• “College is a scam, everybody. You gotta stop sending your kids to college.” — Charlie Kirk (00:13)
• “It’s nice for it to be so explicit that you just can’t really ever live it down. You took a history department class...and we’re converting it into a left wing political opposition.” — Co-Host (33:08)
• "Has Harvard just become a Democrat think tank? And if they are, why are they a taxpayer funded entity?" — Charlie Kirk (33:53)
• “Tax the rich. Isn’t that what you left wingers like to say?” — Co-Host (38:28)

Timestamps

• [32:04] – Transition to higher education discussion
• [32:19] – Harvard history course controversy
• [33:53] – Charlie Kirk on Harvard’s partisan turn
• [35:29] – Berkeley’s professor-led Wikipedia activism
• [38:24] – Supreme Court case, call to investigate Harvard
• [38:45] – Call for endowment taxation and closing remarks

Conclusion

This episode threads together grassroots conservative victories (Utah), cultural and political legacy reckonings (Jesse Jackson), legal realism in high-profile scandals (Epstein), and the ongoing battle against progressive dominance in elite higher education. Throughout, Charlie Kirk and his guests urge activism, push back against perceived judicial and institutional overreach, and emphasize restoring traditional representative government and cultural values.

Episode Highlights At a Glance

• [02:07]: Breakdown of Prop 4 and Utah redistricting
• [05:12]: Axson’s plea for voter resilience
• [12:51]: Jesse Jackson’s contested political trajectory
• [15:56]: Jackson’s “hot mic” moment and Obama criticism
• [21:09]: Mike Davis on lack of new Epstein evidence
• [33:53]: Scathing critique of Harvard, demand for accountability
• [38:28]: Call to tax elite university endowments