Republican Jen Kiggans faces calls to resign for agreeing with racist ‘cotton-picking’ remark | US politics
Republican congresswoman Jen Kiggans is facing calls to resign from Democrats for hiring a radio host after Hakeem Jeffries, the top Democrat in the US House of Representatives, said she should “get her cotton-picking hands off Virginia.”
Kiggans, who represents a swing district in southeastern Virginia, said he agreed with his host that Jeffries, the first Black American to lead a party in Congress, should stay out of state politics. He also said he did not condone the host’s language, which many Democrats criticized as racist.
The term “cotton picking” is widely considered offensive due to the United States’ history of slavery, in which enslaved people (the vast majority of whom were black) picked cotton.
“If Hakeem Jeffries wants to get involved in Virginia politics, then I suggest he do what a bunch of New Yorkers did,” said Rich Herrera, a conservative radio host. in question Monday on Richmond’s Morning News. “Leave New York, move here to Virginia. Run for office here; you can represent us. If not, get your cotton-picking hands off Virginia.”
Kiggans replied: “Right. Exactly – yes, yes to that.”
He then 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 spokeswoman Christie Stephenson said Tuesday that Kiggans had the opportunity to “reject Rich Herrera’s vile, racist and inhumane comments” but instead “doubled down.”
Stephenson’s statement added that for someone “who represents a large, vibrant African American community in Virginia,” “this was a stunning failure of judgment and leadership.”
The statement also said it was “deplorable” to “endorse disgusting, vile and racist language.”
Democrat Elaine Luria, a former congresswoman who is running to unseat Kiggans in the November midterm elections, demanded that her opponent apologize.
“I grew up in the South. I know what these racist dog whistles mean,” Luria said in a statement that called Kiggans’ comments “disgusting and unbecoming of any elected official.”
“We must immediately and publicly apologize and condemn these racist statements, which have no place in our community or politics,” Luria said.
U.S. House minority speaker 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 told X.
“Every Republican should condemn this racist statement,” Newsom’s office added.
“I am deeply appalled by everyone who supports this rhetoric,” Democratic Virginia state senator Aaron Rouse said in a statement. “We are no longer slaves to the plantations. We now have the powerful positions that our ancestors fought for.”
As of Tuesday morning, Kiggans’ interview with Herrera was not available in Richmond’s Morning News archives. Apple Podcasts platform. Featured in Richmond’s Morning News website but it didn’t look like it would be downloaded. A spokesman for Audacy, which owns the radio station that broadcasts Richmond’s Morning News, was asked for comment.
Republicans currently hold slim majorities in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, but will gain control in the midterm elections, and Kiggans’ seat is seen as one of the most competitive in the country. After beginning his second U.S. presidency in January 2025, Donald Trump launched a national redistricting battle between the two parties in the middle of the decade that 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 in adopting the proposed referendum and putting it to the 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.
Reuters and Ramon Antonio Vargas contributed reporting
