Making his only appearance on the "This is the Turning Point" tour, Vance pivoted from a counter-culture message to achievements of the Trump administration. He drew his largest applause of the night mentioning a "shut-down border" and cracking down on illegal immigration.
"You are the future of Charlie Kirk's legacy," Vance told the crowd estimated at 10,000.
Vance, who joked he is a "geriatric Millennial" at age 41, also engaged in a Q&A with students.
"We're going to have a discussion tonight because that's what Charlie would want," he said.
That format mirrored the trademark debate style of Charlie Kirk, the late Turning Point founder. Among the questions, Vance was asked about his faith, Israel, the culture war and how Turning Point USA can continue Kirk’s work.
Kirk was shot and killed September 10 at Utah Valley University while speaking to thousands of students. That campus was supposed to be his first stop on “The American Comeback” tour, and it was renamed and filled with new speakers in an effort by TPUSA to continue to reach young people.
Vance appeared on stage after Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk's widow, urged the young people to understand they're engaged in a spiritual battle. She urged them to be courageous and fearless, and to remember Satan is their enemy, but they have a light that "burns brightly" in them all.
"We only bow down to the King of Kings," she declared. "And it's through Him that we rise."
The Wednesday event was held in the Ole Miss basketball arena, named The Pavilion, where students lined up in a light, chilly rain as early as 11 a.m. to get in.
Vance has publicly credited Charlie Kirk for floating his name to Donald Trump as a potential running mate, directly stating Kirk helped him become the U.S. vice president.
The University of Mississippi, home to about 27,100 students, is located in the small town of Oxford in North Mississippi.
