Jen Kiggans fends off calls to resign over radio interview
The article centers Republican framing by leading with Kiggans 'dismissing' resignation calls and positioning her statement last, after extensive Democratic criticism. The language 'seeming to agree' hedges the core controversy, while describing the redistricting measure as a 'Democratic gerrymander' adopts Republican characterization. The article includes both sides but weights Republican perspective more favorably by front-loading Kiggans's denial and framing Democratic calls as 'lies and distortions' without editorial pushback.
Primary voices: elected official, media outlet, state or recognized government
- This article does not address the historical context of 'cotton-pickin' as a racist phrase with roots in slavery and segregation-era rhetoric.
- This article does not include substantive analysis of whether Kiggans's explanation—that she was agreeing only on the 'stay out of Virginia' point—is consistent with the audio or typical radio conversation dynamics.
- This article does not provide context on Virginia's redistricting history or how the April voter-approved measure relates to previous maps.
As legal challenges to Virginia's redistricting proceed through state and potentially federal courts, the political framing of this incident may shift depending on judicial outcomes and whether additi
Establishment framingBoth-sides framingCharged language
Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA) on Tuesday night dismissed Democrats’ calls for her resignation after she appeared on a radio show, seeming to agree with the host’s racist comment about House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY).
Kiggans appeared on Rich Herrera’s Richmond-based radio show on Monday to discuss Democrats’ redistricting moves in Virginia, particularly how Jeffries has made himself involved in the effort.
“If Hakeem Jeffries wants to be involved in Virginia politics, then I suggest he does what a bunch of New Yorkers are doing: Leave New York, move down here to Virginia, run for office down here … if not, get your cotton-pickin’ hands off of Virginia,” Herrera said during the broadcast.
“That’s right, ditto,” Kiggans responded. “Yes, yes to that.”
House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA) responded to the clip of Kiggans’s and Herrera’s comments, saying the congresswoman from Virginia should “immediately apologize and resign.”
Rep. Greg Meeks (D-NY), the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, agreed with Clark in a statement to Axios, also calling for Kiggans’ resignation.
Kiggans, however, did not apologize for what appeared to be her agreement, and rather framed the situation as Democrats spreading lies while also condemning Herrera’s words.
“This is precisely what’s wrong with Democrats,” she wrote on X. “Every lie and distortion is intended to distract from getting their hats handed to them and the Virginia Supreme Court’s clear message: stop trying to rig our elections.”
“The radio host should not have used that language and I do not -and did not – condone it,” she added. “It was obvious to anyone listening that I was agreeing Hakeem [Jeffries] should stay out of Virginia.”
At the center of the issue is Virginia Democrats’ redistricting efforts, which voters approved in April but have subsequently been challenged by Republicans.
The Supreme Court of Virginia ruled last Friday that Democrats failed to follow the constitutional process required to place the measure on the ballot. But Old Dominion’s Left hasn’t given up the fight and filed an emergency petition to the Supreme Court on Monday, urging it to reinstate the voter-approved Democratic gerrymander of the state’s congressional map.
Comments
No comments yet. Be the first.
Sign in to leave a comment.