Democrats say Republican lawmaker must resign for agreeing with ‘cotton-picking’ remark

By Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON, May 11 (Reuters) – Republican U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans faced calls to resign from Democrats for engaging a radio host after Democratic lawmaker Hakeem Jeffries said she should “get her cotton-picking hands off Virginia.”

Kiggans later said he agreed with the host that Jeffries, the House minority leader and the first Black American to lead a party in Congress, should stay out of Virginia politics, and that he did not condone the host’s language.

“If Hakeem Jeffries wants to get involved in Virginia politics, then I suggest he do what a bunch of New Yorkers did. Leave New York, move here to Virginia. Run for office here, you can represent us. If not, get your cotton-picking hands off Virginia,” conservative radio host Rich Herrera said on “Richmond’s ⁠Morning News.”

“Right. Exactly, yeah, yeah,” Kiggans, who represents Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District, responded during the interview.

The term “cotton picking” is considered offensive due to the U.S. history of slavery, where cotton was picked by enslaved people.

Kiggans later made a statement about X.

“The radio host should not have used this language, and I do not and have not condoned it. It was clear to anyone listening that I agreed that Hakeem Jeffries should stay away from Virginia,” Kiggans’ statement said.

Jeffries had no comment late Monday.

U.S. House Minority Whip Katherine Clark and California Governor Gavin Newsom said the Republican lawmaker should resign.

“They are now using brazenly racist language to attack Black leaders,” Clark said on X.

“Every Republican should condemn this racist statement,” Newsom’s office added.

“I am deeply appalled by everyone who supports this narrative. We are no longer slaves on the plantations. We now hold positions of power that our ancestors fought for,” Democratic Virginia state Senator Aaron Rouse said in a statement. he said.

Republicans currently hold slim majorities in the Senate and House of Representatives but are expected to gain control in midterm elections later this year.

Republican President Donald Trump launched a national mid-decade redistricting battle between the two parties last year, and that fight continues in Virginia.

On April 21, Virginia voters approved a new congressional map drawn by Democrats in a special election; that map would have flipped four Republican U.S. House seats.

But the state Supreme Court rejected the results on May 8, ruling in favor of Republicans’ objection that Democratic lawmakers did not follow proper procedures when they adopted the proposed referendum and put it to a vote.

Virginia Democrats asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday to revive a congressional map designed to boost their party’s chances in November’s midterm elections.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Kate Mayberry)