House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries
Credit: Getty Images | File Photo
Rep. Kiggans Criticized for "Cotton-Picking" Remark
"That's right. Ditto. Yes, yes to that."
— Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA), responding to a radio host's racially charged phrase about Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
U.S. Representative Jen Kiggans (R-VA) is facing backlash after appearing to endorse a phrase widely condemned as racist during a radio interview. The host, Rich Herrera, used the term "cotton-picking" in reference to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
The comment was made in the context of a discussion about redistricting in Virginia, with Herrera stating that Rep. Jeffries should "get [his] cotton-picking hands off of Virginia." Kiggans responded, "That's right. Ditto. Yes, yes to that."
The Backlash and Clarification
Following the interview, Kiggans issued a statement on X (formerly Twitter) clarifying her intent:
"The radio host should not have used that language and I do not – and did not – condone it."
She argued it was "obvious to anyone listening that I was agreeing Hakeem Jeffries should stay out of Virginia," not endorsing the offensive phrasing.
Despite this, multiple Democratic officials have called for Kiggans's resignation.
Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA) wrote on X:
"Now they are using brazenly racist language to attack Black leaders."
California Governor Gavin Newsom also joined the calls for resignation.
Virginia State Senator Aaron Rouse (D) stated he was "deeply appalled," adding:
"We are no longer enslaved on plantations. We now hold positions of power our ancestors fought for."
Christie Stephenson, a spokesperson for Rep. Jeffries, dismissed Kiggans as a "so-called moderate" who "has no interest in our nation's progress toward a multi-racial democracy."
The National Republican Congressional Committee pushed back, with spokesperson Will Kiley labeling the criticism as "performative outrage."
Background & Context
- The phrase "cotton-picking" is widely recognized as offensive due to its direct historical connection to the enslavement of Black Americans on cotton plantations.
- Rep. Kiggans is currently running for re-election in the 2025 midterm elections, a race that is expected to be highly competitive.