Kiggans Faces Fire Over ‘Lapdog’ Jibes at Jeffries

Representative Jen Kiggans of Virginia is under scrutiny after she agreed with a local radio host who made a racist remark about House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries. The Republican lawmaker, who is in a tough re-election battle, backed the host’s comments during a recent interview. The host referred to Jeffries as a "lapdog," a term critics say carries racist undertones. Kiggans’s agreement with the remark has triggered backlash from local and national groups. Opponents argue the comment plays into harmful stereotypes about Black leaders. The Virginia Republican has not apologized. Her campaign says she was simply agreeing with criticism of Jeffries’ policy positions, not his race. The controversy adds pressure to Kiggans as she fights to keep her seat in a closely watched district.