Erika Kirk's Mother Has Been Dragged Into Her Icy Candace Owens Feud

Once upon a time, Candace Owens seemed to have some deference toward Erika Kirk, but it's safe to say that ship has sailed. Unfortunately for Erika's loved ones, however, the beef seems to extend beyond the Turning Point USA CEO herself, and Owens has even brought the widow's mother into it. 

Like we said, in the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination in 2025, Owens was initially very supportive of his widow, Erika. With time, though, that's waned (there's an understatement) and Owens has gone on to take a number of swipes at the former pageant queen. Many have seen that as below the belt as is, but bringing Erika's mom, Lori Frantzve, into the mix has only added to all the drama. 

Owens first spoke about Lori in the very first episode of her "Bride of Charlie" series, itself an attack on Erika. In that first episode, Owens began poking holes in Lori's divorce documents from Erika's dad. Owens also rubbished Erika's claims about having been raised by a single mom, and even hinted at there being a shady mystery surrounding Erika's relationship with her dad, Kent Frantzve. "Erika was not raised by a single mother. Like, at all," the podcaster said. Things also took much darker turns when Owens began theorizing whether Lori was really Erika's biological mother. However, that was only Episode 1. The next day, Owens published Episode 2, and began making even more pointed barbs at Lori, kicking things off by saying, "Across the board, everyone that I have spoken to says that Lori, Erika's mother, is exceedingly problematic. Exceedingly problematic." Suffice it to say, Owens wasn't pulling any punches. 

As if questions about maternity and comments about being "problematic" weren't enough, Candace Owens went on to make a number of bold assertions about Lori Frantzve in her second and third episodes of "Bride of Charlie." For one, just after the "problematic" claims, Owens said she'd spoken to an ex-boyfriend of Erika's who'd told her, "I was warned by another person in the beauty pageant world that that girl will do anything to get to the top, and her mother will do anything to help her get to the top." And then, there was Episode 3, which Owens titled, "Have No Fear, Lori is Here," and which saw the controversial content creator delve into what she saw as shady business dealings, among other things. 

It's worth noting that Erika Kirk has said her mother is facing a devastating illness, and even shared a heartbreaking Instagram video of her appearing incredibly frail in February 2026. Owens has acknowledged that, though it certainly hasn't prompted her to tread any lighter. Far from it, in Episode 2, Candace questioned why she was being included on the boards of companies if she was so unwell. In Episode 3, she reiterated that, again making it clear she wasn't going to go any easier on the family. "I understand she is sick. I understand someday George Soros is going to be sick, okay? Doesn't mean that we don't get to discuss the things that he is involved in," Owens said. 

At least at the time of this writing, Erika hasn't responded to Owens' commentary. One thing is abundantly clear, though: any bridges between Charlie Kirk's widow and the Turning Point USA founder's close friend have been burned beyond recognition.