Sen. Mitch McConnell officially has a 2014 challenger... Is he a future conservative leader?

November 15, 2013

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We all know how much Glenn would like to see Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) voted out of the Senate next year, and on radio this morning Glenn interviewed Sen. McConnell’s Republican primary challenger, Matt Bevin. Today is the day Matt will officially file all the necessary paperwork to begin his campaign, and he spoke to Glenn about what his experience has been like thus far and what his hopes are in this race.

“We have Matt Bevin on, candidate for U.S. Senate out of Kentucky. The people that I trust at the Senate Conservatives Fund called [him] the best constitutional candidate they have seen… and they have endorsed [him],” Glenn said. “Today you are filling out the paperwork to officially run for U.S. Senate and go up against Mitch McConnell?”

“This is indeed the day. This is the day that he has tried very desperately to prevent from happening,” Matt said. “When we the people actually are going to stand up and offer folks a true choice in this primary. So it's an exciting day here in Kentucky.”

Running against any incumbent is an uphill battle, but going up against someone so entrenched in the GOP establishment, who will undoubtedly have a huge war chest, will be no easy task. Glenn asked Matt quite frankly if he actually believed he could pose a real threat to Sen. McConnell.

“The irony is I think it will be harder to beat him in the primary than it will be to beat the Democrat in the general. I have heard from a number of Democrats who are switching parties because they don't vote Democrat in the general [election] anyway, and a number of Democrats who have said, ‘I can't switch, won't switch, but I'll be with you, you know, for May 21, [2014] on." I've had people working in an Alison Grimes [D-KY] booth wearing an Alison Grimes T-shirt come up to me and say, ‘I'm going to be voting for you.’ So there's not a lot of enthusiasm for her,” Matt explained. “I think the fact is: We need to eat this elephant one bite at a time. And I think we will continue to take steps forward. Every time I'm on your show, I know you always chuckle when I say the name of my website, but I kid you not, Glenn, I can't tell you how grateful I am for the amazing bounce that it gets every time I mention MattBevin.com. People come. Your listeners are enthused, they are engaged, and I appreciate that, I really do.”

While Matt understands he is up against the GOP machine, he believes this election will boil down to a fight between limited-government and progressivism.

“But in reality what we are seeing is a battle for the heart and soul, not only of the Republican Party, but for the entire political process because what we are seeing in this race is a microcosm of what's happening nationally – a battle for whether we the people truly still have a voice and choose to exercise that voice,” Matt said. “Or will we be apathetic? Will we sit on our hands? And will we sit back and wait for the handful to self-propagate and self-select to tell us when and where and how we should line up? And I think it is my job to use the best of my abilities to be a good steward of the talents and skill that I have to exercise the will of the people by being in this race and being their voice. This is a battle between progressivism and limited government, between sometimes paying attention to the Constitution or recognizing it as the law of the land.”

Glenn was quick to warn Matt that it is simple to campaign on the message of being a conservative voice and standing up for the Constitution, but once you arrive in Washington, the political game makes it a difficult promise to follow through on.

“I was called into the oval office and the President was a little pissy – it was Bush. And he said to me, ‘Don't worry because whoever gets in after me will pretty much do exactly the same thing because they will see that the president's hands are tied. So no matter who it is, doesn’t matter if it's, you know, the guy who became president or Hillary Clinton, it won't matter because they will do almost the same thing,’” Glenn explained. “He tried to say that as a comforting thing. I found that horrifying. Why is it we should believe you – that you're not going to go in and just become the same thing and realize and be convinced that your hands are tied, Matt?”

“There's a difference between people who go to cast votes and people who go to be a voice. My pledge to people is to be a voice. I can't promise that I'm going to do everything perfectly or that 100% of people will always be happy – but rather than just to go vote, I will be a voice to fight for the American people, to fight for conservative values, to fight for limited government, to fight for a restoration of our Constitution and of every one of our constitutional rights that has been eroded,” Matt said emphatically. “I am married, Glenn. I have a wife who loves me. I have nine children who love me. I have a dog that loves me. I am not going to Washington to make friends. I am willing to be the guy who stands there, as folks like Ted Cruz have recently done, and get my teeth kicked in to do the right thing.”

“MattBevin.com, running in Kentucky for the U.S. Senate against Mitch McConnell,” Glenn concluded. “Matt, good to have you on and we wish you luck as you file papers today to officially announce your candidacy for U.S. Senate.”

Watch the entire interview below:

'Rage against the dying of the light': Charlie Kirk lived that mandate

PHILL MAGAKOE / Contributor | Getty Images

Kirk’s tragic death challenges us to rise above fear and anger, to rebuild bridges where others build walls, and to fight for the America he believed in.

I’ve only felt this weight once before. It was 2001, just as my radio show was about to begin. The World Trade Center fell, and I was called to speak immediately. I spent the day and night by my bedside, praying for words that could meet the moment.

Yesterday, I found myself in the same position. September 11, 2025. The assassination of Charlie Kirk. A friend. A warrior for truth.

Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins.

Moments like this make words feel inadequate. Yet sometimes, words from another time speak directly to our own. In 1947, Dylan Thomas, watching his father slip toward death, penned lines that now resonate far beyond his own grief:

Do not go gentle into that good night. / Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Thomas was pleading for his father to resist the impending darkness of death. But those words have become a mandate for all of us: Do not surrender. Do not bow to shadows. Even when the battle feels unwinnable.

Charlie Kirk lived that mandate. He knew the cost of speaking unpopular truths. He knew the fury of those who sought to silence him. And yet he pressed on. In his life, he embodied a defiance rooted not in anger, but in principle.

Picking up his torch

Washington, Jefferson, Adams — our history was started by men who raged against an empire, knowing the gallows might await. Lincoln raged against slavery. Martin Luther King Jr. raged against segregation. Every generation faces a call to resist surrender.

It is our turn. Charlie’s violent death feels like a knockout punch. Yet if his life meant anything, it means this: Silence in the face of darkness is not an option.

He did not go gently. He spoke. He challenged. He stood. And now, the mantle falls to us. To me. To you. To every American.

We cannot drift into the shadows. We cannot sit quietly while freedom fades. This is our moment to rage — not with hatred, not with vengeance, but with courage. Rage against lies, against apathy, against the despair that tells us to do nothing. Because there is always something you can do.

Even small acts — defiance, faith, kindness — are light in the darkness. Reaching out to those who mourn. Speaking truth in a world drowning in deceit. These are the flames that hold back the night. Charlie carried that torch. He laid it down yesterday. It is ours to pick up.

The light may dim, but it always does before dawn. Commit today: I will not sleep as freedom fades. I will not retreat as darkness encroaches. I will not be silent as evil forces claim dominion. I have no king but Christ. And I know whom I serve, as did Charlie.

Two turning points, decades apart

On Wednesday, the world changed again. Two tragedies, separated by decades, bound by the same question: Who are we? Is this worth saving? What kind of people will we choose to be?

Imagine a world where more of us choose to be peacemakers. Not passive, not silent, but builders of bridges where others erect walls. Respect and listening transform even the bitterest of foes. Charlie Kirk embodied this principle.

He did not strike the weak; he challenged the powerful. He reached across divides of politics, culture, and faith. He changed hearts. He sparked healing. And healing is what our nation needs.

At the center of all this is one truth: Every person is a child of God, deserving of dignity. Change will not happen in Washington or on social media. It begins at home, where loneliness and isolation threaten our souls. Family is the antidote. Imperfect, yes — but still the strongest source of stability and meaning.

Mark Wilson / Staff | Getty Images

Forgiveness, fidelity, faithfulness, and honor are not dusty words. They are the foundation of civilization. Strong families produce strong citizens. And today, Charlie’s family mourns. They must become our family too. We must stand as guardians of his legacy, shining examples of the courage he lived by.

A time for courage

I knew Charlie. I know how he would want us to respond: Multiply his courage. Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins. Out of darkness, great and glorious things will sprout — but we must be worthy of them.

Charlie Kirk lived defiantly. He stood in truth. He changed the world. And now, his torch is in our hands. Rage, not in violence, but in unwavering pursuit of truth and goodness. Rage against the dying of the light.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Glenn Beck resurrects the 9-12 Project to support Charlie Kirk's family

Glenn Beck is once again calling on his loyal listeners and viewers to come together and channel the same unity and purpose that defined the historic 9-12 Project. That movement, born in the wake of national challenges, brought millions together to revive core values of faith, hope, and charity.

Glenn created the original 9-12 Project in early 2009 to bring Americans back to where they were in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. In those moments, we weren't Democrats and Republicans, conservative or liberal, Red States or Blue States, we were united as one, as America. The original 9-12 Project aimed to root America back in the founding principles of this country that united us during those darkest of days.

This new initiative draws directly from that legacy, focusing on supporting the family of Charlie Kirk in these dark days following his tragic murder.

The revival of the 9-12 Project aims to secure the long-term well-being of Charlie Kirk's wife and children. All donations will go straight to meeting their immediate and future needs. If the family deems the funds surplus to their requirements, Charlie's wife has the option to redirect them toward the vital work of Turning Point USA.

This campaign is more than just financial support—it's a profound gesture of appreciation for Kirk's tireless dedication to the cause of liberty. It embodies the unbreakable bond of our community, proving that when we stand united, we can make a real difference.
Glenn Beck invites you to join this effort. Show your solidarity by donating today and honoring Charlie Kirk and his family in this meaningful way.

You can learn more about the 9-12 Project and donate HERE

The critical difference: Rights from the Creator, not the state

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

When politicians claim that rights flow from the state, they pave the way for tyranny.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) recently delivered a lecture that should alarm every American. During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, he argued that believing rights come from a Creator rather than government is the same belief held by Iran’s theocratic regime.

Kaine claimed that the principles underpinning Iran’s dictatorship — the same regime that persecutes Sunnis, Jews, Christians, and other minorities — are also the principles enshrined in our Declaration of Independence.

In America, rights belong to the individual. In Iran, rights serve the state.

That claim exposes either a profound misunderstanding or a reckless indifference to America’s founding. Rights do not come from government. They never did. They come from the Creator, as the Declaration of Independence proclaims without qualification. Jefferson didn’t hedge. Rights are unalienable — built into every human being.

This foundation stands worlds apart from Iran. Its leaders invoke God but grant rights only through clerical interpretation. Freedom of speech, property, religion, and even life itself depend on obedience to the ruling clerics. Step outside their dictates, and those so-called rights vanish.

This is not a trivial difference. It is the essence of liberty versus tyranny. In America, rights belong to the individual. The government’s role is to secure them, not define them. In Iran, rights serve the state. They empower rulers, not the people.

From Muhammad to Marx

The same confusion applies to Marxist regimes. The Soviet Union’s constitutions promised citizens rights — work, health care, education, freedom of speech — but always with fine print. If you spoke out against the party, those rights evaporated. If you practiced religion openly, you were charged with treason. Property and voting were allowed as long as they were filtered and controlled by the state — and could be revoked at any moment. Rights were conditional, granted through obedience.

Kaine seems to be advocating a similar approach — whether consciously or not. By claiming that natural rights are somehow comparable to sharia law, he ignores the critical distinction between inherent rights and conditional privileges. He dismisses the very principle that made America a beacon of freedom.

Jefferson and the founders understood this clearly. “We are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights,” they wrote. No government, no cleric, no king can revoke them. They exist by virtue of humanity itself. The government exists to protect them, not ration them.

This is not a theological quibble. It is the entire basis of our government. Confuse the source of rights, and tyranny hides behind piety or ideology. The people are disempowered. Clerics, bureaucrats, or politicians become arbiters of what rights citizens may enjoy.

John Greim / Contributor | Getty Images

Gifts from God, not the state

Kaine’s statement reflects either a profound ignorance of this principle or an ideological bias that favors state power over individual liberty. Either way, Americans must recognize the danger. Understanding the origin of rights is not academic — it is the difference between freedom and submission, between the American experiment and theocratic or totalitarian rule.

Rights are not gifts from the state. They are gifts from God, secured by reason, protected by law, and defended by the people. Every American must understand this. Because when rights come from government instead of the Creator, freedom disappears.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

POLL: Is America’s next generation trading freedom for equity?

NurPhoto / Contributor | Getty Images

A recent poll conducted by Justin Haskins, a long-time friend of the show, has uncovered alarming trends among young Americans aged 18-39, revealing a generation grappling with deep frustrations over economic hardships, housing affordability, and a perceived rigged system that favors the wealthy, corporations, and older generations. While nearly half of these likely voters approve of President Trump, seeing him as an anti-establishment figure, over 70% support nationalizing major industries, such as healthcare, energy, and big tech, to promote "equity." Shockingly, 53% want a democratic socialist to win the 2028 presidential election, including a third of Trump voters and conservatives in this age group. Many cite skyrocketing housing costs, unfair taxation on the middle class, and a sense of being "stuck" or in crisis as driving forces, with 62% believing the economy is tilted against them and 55% backing laws to confiscate "excess wealth" like second homes or luxury items to help first-time buyers.

This blend of Trump support and socialist leanings suggests a volatile mix: admiration for disruptors who challenge the status quo, coupled with a desire for radical redistribution to address personal struggles. Yet, it raises profound questions about the roots of this discontent—Is it a failure of education on history's lessons about socialism's failures? Media indoctrination? Or genuine systemic barriers? And what does it portend for the nation’s trajectory—greater division, a shift toward authoritarian policies, or an opportunity for renewal through timeless values like hard work and individual responsibility?

Glenn wants to know what YOU think: Where do Gen Z's socialist sympathies come from? What does it mean for the future of America? Make your voice heard in the poll below:

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism comes from perceived economic frustrations like unaffordable housing and a rigged system favoring the wealthy and corporations?

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism, including many Trump supporters, is due to a lack of education about the historical failures of socialist systems?

Do you think that these poll results indicate a growing generational divide that could lead to more political instability and authoritarian tendencies in America's future?

Do you think that this poll implies that America's long-term stability relies on older generations teaching Gen Z and younger to prioritize self-reliance, free-market ideals, and personal accountability?

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