Key Republican, Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.) faces Democratic calls to resign over radio interview

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12 hours ago -

Key Republican faces Democratic calls to resign over radio interview

https://www.axios.com/2026/05/12/jen-kiggans-hakeem-jeffries-cotton-picking-radio?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us

Andrew Solender


Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.) is facing calls to resign from Democratic colleagues who say she expressed agreement with a radio host's remark that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) should get his "cotton-picking hands off of Virginia."

Why it matters: Kiggans, who denied agreeing with or condoning the language, is facing one of the most hotly contested reelection battles in the country.

"First they gutted the Voting Rights Act. Now they are using brazenly racist language to attack Black leaders," House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) said in a post on X, calling for Kiggans to "immediately apologize and resign."
Rep. Greg Meeks (D-N.Y.), the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus PAC and a close ally of Jeffries, told Axios in a text message that he also thinks Kiggans should resign.
Kiggans posted that the host "should not have used that language and I do not -and did not - condone it," adding, "It was obvious to anyone listening that I was agreeing Hakeem Jefferies [sic] should stay out of Virginia."

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https://images.axios.com/fergV5bysyox12iZjvtWLnjx038=/0x436 015x4382/1920x1080/2026/05/11/1778543800917.jpeg?w=1920
Rep. Jen Kiggans at a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on March 6, 2024. Photo: Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images