The Controversy Lands As The Vulnerable Republican Faces A Tough Midterm Re-Election Fight
Virginia Republican Rep. Jen Kiggans is facing calls to resign after she agreed with a radio host who used racist language while criticizing House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries during a Monday interview.
NBC reported the controversy when radio host Rich Herrera said Jeffries should keep his “cotton-picking hands off of Virginia.” Kiggans responded, “That’s right. Ditto. Yes, yes to that,” according to reports on the interview.
Jeffries, who is the first Black lawmaker to lead a major party in Congress, has been at the center of multiple racially charged political attacks in recent months. The Virginia dispute also comes as the state’s redistricting fight has become tied to larger battles over Black political representation and control of the U.S. House.
Kiggans Says She Did Not Condone The Language
After criticism mounted, Kiggans posted on X that she was agreeing with Herrera’s larger argument that Jeffries should stay out of Virginia politics, not the phrase itself.
“The radio host should not have used that language and I do not and did not condone it. It was obvious to anyone listening that I was agreeing Hakeem Jefferies should stay out of Virginia,” Kiggans said.
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…
Her explanation did not stop Democrats from calling out her response. Rep. Katherine Clark, the No. 2 House Democrat, called on Kiggans to apologize and resign. Other Democrats also criticized Kiggans for not denouncing the remark during the interview.
Also Read: Trump Calls for Hakeem Jeffries to Face Charges Over ‘Maximum Warfare’ Remarks
Jeffries Spokesperson Calls Kiggans’ Response A Failure Of Leadership
Christie Stephenson, a top spokesperson for Jeffries, said Kiggans showed a “stunning failure of judgment and leadership” for a lawmaker who has often presented herself as a moderate.
“Extremists who endorse disgusting, vile and racist language are pathetic. Jen Kiggans has no interest in our nation’s progress toward a multi-racial democracy and apparently craves a return to the days of Jim Crow racial oppression in the South,” Stephenson said.
The phrase used by Herrera has been widely condemned because of its historical connection to slavery, forced Black labor and the Jim Crow South. Reuters described the phrase as offensive because of its ties to slavery in American history.
Controversy Comes As Kiggans Faces Tough Reelection Fight
The political fallout comes at a difficult time for Kiggans, who is already considered one of Democrats’ top targets in the November midterm elections.
Kiggans is expected to face a rematch against former Democratic Rep. Elaine Luria, a retired Navy commander whom Kiggans defeated in 2022. Luria directly condemned the remarks and called on Kiggans to publicly apologize and denounce the language.
“I grew up in the South. I know what these racist dog whistles mean,” Luria said on X.
The controversy also lands as Virginia’s redistricting battle remains active. Democrats have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to step in after the Virginia Supreme Court struck down a voter approved redistricting measure that could have improved Democrats’ chances in several congressional districts.
