It appears the top brass at Turning Point USA (TPUSA) post-Charlie Kirk are targeting conservative lawmakers for not being white enough.
The COO of TPUSA’s advocacy arm, Tyler Bowyer, mocked Arizona State Rep. Quang Nguyen (LD-01) for being a Vietnamese refugee. Nguyen is an American citizen who has lived in America for over 50 years.
The exchange was prompted by some questioning TPUSA’s animus toward Nguyen, despite the lawmaker having a similar or better legislative track record than TPUSA-endorsed candidates.
Bowyer implied their decision was based on the circumstances of Nguyen’s birth.
“Can you speak English?” wrote Bowyer.
Bowyer then promised to oust Nguyen in the primary, calling him “terrible.”
Can you speak English
— Tyler Bowyer (@tylerbowyer) July 7, 2026
Aside from Nguyen, the only other Republicans in the race are fellow incumbent Rep. Selena Bliss (LD-01), and another Republican candidate, Shawn Dell Wildman. Primary Election Day is July 21, and early voting is already underway.
Nguyen indicated that he had suspected TPUSA’s dissatisfaction with him as a lawmaker had more to do with his race than his legislative track record. He said Bowyer’s social media remarks on Monday confirmed his suspicions.
“I spent my entire life fighting uphill and for everything I achieved. This one is no different,” said Nguyen. “When they run out of arguments, they resort to the lowest form of life. I always knew why they don’t like me. Yup, I’m always right.”
I spent my entire life fighting uphill and for everything I achieved. This one is no different. When they run out of arguments, they resort to the lowest form of life. I always knew why they don’t like me. Yup, I’m always right. pic.twitter.com/fxplWGfMXS
— Quang Nguyen (@QuangNguyenAZ) July 7, 2026
TPUSA often warns against the woes of communism. Nguyen lived it as a survivor of the communist regime of Vietnam. Nguyen escaped on a plane at 12 years old during the Vietnam War, less than a week before the Fall of Saigon.
Nguyen speaks often about his immigration to America, and how his gratitude for American governance shaped him into the conservative lawmaker defending constitutional rights and free markets.
With the aid of a fellow survivor of communism, former lawmaker Ben Toma, the Arizona legislature passed Nguyen’s bill in 2022 which requires high schools to teach how America’s founding principles yield freedom and democracy while communism and other deadly forms of governance do not.
Those who dared to come to Nguyen’s defense publicly were exiled from the inner sanctum of TPUSA endorsees.
TPUSA revoked its endorsement of State Rep. Nick Kupper (LD-25) for pointing out that he and Nguyen had nearly identical TPUSA lifetime voting scores in response to Bowyer claiming Nguyen had one of the “worst” TPUSA scores in the state legislature. Nguyen scored a 78, and Kupper scored a 79.3.
“To be fair, my [TPUSA] scorecard score isn’t much different than [Nguyen’s] yet I’m endorsed by [Turning Point Action],” said Kupper. “Not trying to create waves, but there does appear to be an inconsistency here.”
In response, Bowyer told his followers that Kupper should never be voted for again come 2028 and beyond.
“There will be a better, smarter candidate,” said Bowyer.
To be fair, my TP scorecard score isn’t much different than @QuangNguyenAZ’s yet I’m endorsed by TP Action. Not trying to create waves, but there does appear to be an inconsistency here. https://t.co/vZog0yELCe pic.twitter.com/qYZOvvJDPM
— Nick Kupper (@realnickkupper) July 6, 2026
TPUSA also endorsed candidates with lifetime scores lower than Nguyen.
State Reps. Chris Lopez (LD-16) scored 75.48, Matt Gress (LD-04) scored 74.33, and James Taylor (LD-29) scored 73.08.
The average lifetime score for Republican state representatives was 81.4. Eight of the 35 total Republican state representatives had lower scores than Nguyen — some, as mentioned, who earned the endorsements of TPUSA.
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