Rep. Jen Kiggans, a Virginia Republican, is facing calls from Democrats to resign after she agreed with a radio host who said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries should get his "cotton-picking hands off of Virginia."

Kiggans, who represents Virginia's second congressional district, made the agreement during a radio appearance when the host used the phrase in reference to Jeffries, who is the first Black American to lead a party in Congress.

Following the incident, Kiggans clarified that she was agreeing with the host's sentiment that Jeffries should stay out of Virginia politics. She also stated that she did not condone the language used by the radio host.

Multiple Democrats have criticized the radio host's comment as racist, given the historical context of the phrase "cotton-picking" and its use in reference to a Black political leader. The controversy has led to Democratic calls for Kiggans' resignation from Congress.

The incident highlights ongoing tensions over language and racial sensitivity in political discourse, particularly when discussing prominent Black political figures like Jeffries, who holds a historic leadership position in the House of Representatives.