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Democrats Press Kiggans to Resign After ‘Cotton‑Picking’ Radio Exchange

The backlash spotlights Virginia’s redistricting fight shaping a pivotal House seat.

Rep. Jen Kiggans, attends a House Armed Services Committee hearing titled in Washington, DC, on April 29.
U.S. Representative Jen Kiggans (R-VA) speaks to the press following a morning Republican Conference meeting, prior to a House vote on a stopgap spending bill that would extend government funding for six months and require Americans to provide proof of citizenship when they vote, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., September 18, 2024. REUTERS/Anna Rose Layden/File Photo
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U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Virginia) speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol on July 22, 2025 in Washington, DC.

Overview

  • Rep. Jen Kiggans, during a Monday interview on Richmond’s Morning News, agreed after the host said Hakeem Jeffries should get his “cotton‑picking hands off of Virginia,” a phrase widely viewed as racist because it echoes slavery.
  • Kiggans later posted on X that she did not condone the language and said she was only agreeing that the New York Democrat should stay out of Virginia politics.
  • House Democrats escalated calls for Kiggans to apologize and resign, with leaders like Katherine Clark and Pete Aguilar speaking out, as Jeffries’ office condemned her response and said voters would hold her accountable in November.
  • The audio clip spread quickly online and the episode was removed from the show’s Apple Podcasts page, while Republicans dismissed the uproar as partisan, with Speaker Mike Johnson suggesting people sometimes misspeak.
  • The dispute stems from Virginia’s congressional map fight, after the state Supreme Court voided a voter‑approved Democratic plan last week and Democrats asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate it in a case that could affect Kiggans’ competitive 2nd District.