A vulnerable Republican congresswoman in Virginia set off an uproar from Democrats after she agreed with remarks by a local radio host who said that Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the House minority leader and a Black man, should keep his \u201ccotton-picking hands off of Virginia.\u201d<\/p>\n
The dust-up surrounding the congresswoman, Representative Jen Kiggans, who is facing one of the country\u2019s toughest re-election battles, is the latest chapter in Virginia\u2019s redistricting saga. Ms. Kiggans was speaking with Rich Herrera, the host of a conservative morning talk show in Richmond, to discuss the fallout from the State Supreme Court\u2019s ruling that invalidated a new congressional map<\/a> that Virginia voters had approved in an April referendum.<\/p>\n During their conversation, Mr. Herrera lamented a discussion that Mr. Jeffries and Democratic members of the Virginia congressional delegation had on Saturday in which lawmakers discussed the idea of having the entire Virginia Supreme Court replaced<\/a> in a long-shot effort to restore the voter-approved map.<\/p>\n \u201cIf Hakeem Jeffries wants to be involved in Virginia politics, then I suggest he does what a bunch of New Yorkers are doing \u2014 leave New York, move down here to Virginia, and run for office down here,\u201d Mr. Herrera said<\/a>. \u201cIf not, get your cotton-picking hands off of Virginia.\u201d<\/p>\n Ms. Kiggans replied: \u201cThat\u2019s right. I, ditto. Yes, yes to that.\u201d<\/p>\n After a Democratic opposition research group, American Bridge, circulated a clip on social media of Ms. Kiggans\u2019s response to Mr. Herrera\u2019s remarks, Democrats denounced Ms. Kiggans, with some calling for her to step down from office.<\/p>\n Ms. Kiggans said on social media Monday evening that she had been agreeing with Mr. Herrera\u2019s sentiment about Mr. Jeffries\u2019s involvement in the Virginia redistricting fight, not with his racist remark about Mr. Jeffries, the highest-ranking Black person in Congress.<\/p>\n \u201cThe radio host should not have used that language and I do not \u2014 and did not \u2014 condone it,\u201d she said. \u201cIt was obvious to anyone listening that I was agreeing Hakeem Jeffries should stay out of Virginia.\u201d<\/p>\n That did not suffice for Mr. Jeffries, whose office joined the Democratic outpouring of anger Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n \u201cJen Kiggans had her chance to disavow the vile, racist and dehumanizing comments from far-right talk show host Rich Herrera,\u201d Christie Stephenson, a spokeswoman for Mr. Jeffries, said. \u201cInstead, she doubled down,\u201d she added, going on to say that \u201cthe voters of Virginia will hold her accountable at the ballot box in November.\u201d<\/p>\n Efforts to reach Mr. Herrera on Tuesday morning were not immediately successful.<\/p>\n Republicans brushed aside the Democratic anger about Ms. Kiggans\u2019s radio appearance.<\/p>\n \u201cDemocrats\u2019 performative outrage over this total nothingburger is completely selective and driven by politics, not principle,\u201d said Will Kiley, a spokesman for House Republicans\u2019 campaign arm. <\/p>\n Ms. Kiggans, a former Navy helicopter pilot, represents Virginia\u2019s Second Congressional District, which is based in Virginia Beach, in the state\u2019s southeast corner. She has served for two terms and faces a difficult re-election fight against former Representative Elaine Luria, whom Ms. Kiggans defeated to first win the seat in 2022. President Trump carried the district by less than a percentage point in 2024.<\/p>\n