Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-VA02, is facing calls for her resignation after comments she made during an appearance on WRVA Monday morning.
During the interview, the show’s host discussed U.S. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and his involvement in the Virginia Democratic redistricting efforts.
“If Hakeem Jeffries wants to be involved in Virginia politics, then I suggest he does what a bunch of New Yorkers are doing. Leave New York, move down here to Virginia. Run for office down here, you can represent us, if not, get your cotton picking hands off of Virginia,” the host said.
“That’s right, Ditto, yes, yes to that,” Kiggans responded.
Shortly after, American Bridge, the Democratic opposition research group, shared the audio on social media. The backlash quickly followed from Democrats across the country.
GOP Rep. Jen Kiggans sas she agrees that Hakeem Jeffries has “cotton-picking hands”
— Headquarters (@HQNewsNow) May 11, 2026
“Get your cotton-picking hands off of Virginia.” pic.twitter.com/3Uu6CU01LU
“First they gutted the Voting Rights Act. Now they are using brazenly racist language to attack Black leaders,” said Rep. Katherine Clark, the number two Democrat in the U.S. House Democratic caucus. “Jen Kiggans should immediately apologize and resign.”
The Congressional Black Caucus also called on kiggans to resign.
“Did Jen Kiggans hear what he said? Yes. Did she agree with him? Yes. Is this racist? Yes. Should she resign? Yes to that, too,” the group wrote.
The CBC had already placed Kiggans on its targeted list of districts to flip.
Kiggans responded with a statement on social media.
“The radio host should not have used that language and I do not -and did not – condone it,” she wrote. “It was obvious to anyone listening that I was agreeing Hakeem Jefferies should stay out of Virginia.”
This is precisely what's wrong with Democrats. Every lie and distortion is intended to distract from getting their hats handed to them and the Virginia Supreme Court's clear message: stop trying to rig our elections.
— Jen Kiggans (@JenKiggans) May 11, 2026
The radio host should not have used that language and I do not…
State Sen. Aaron Rouse, D-Virginia Beach, said he is “deeply appalled” by the rhetoric.
“We are no longer enslaved on plantations,” Rouse wrote on social media. “We now hold positions of power our ancestors fought for. We’ve come too far, from Virginia Beach to Washington, DC, to normalize this behavior. Shame on you, Jen.”
Kiggans is running for reelection in a tough environment for Republicans. She will likely face former Rep. Elaine Luria, whom Kiggans defeated in 2022 by three points.
Luria released a statement Monday night calling on Kiggans to apologize.
“The racist comments proudly endorsed today by Jen Kiggans warning House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to ‘Get your cotton-picking hands off of Virginia’ are disgusting and beneath any elected official,” she said. “I grew up in the South. I know what these racist dog whistles mean.”
In 2025, Democrat Abigail Spanberger won the district by seven points, according to VPAP.