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Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.) is facing growing calls from Democrats to resign over what they say is her agreement with a radio host's derogatory comments about House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.).

Why it matters: The firestorm comes as Kiggans, who has denied any wrongdoing, is running for reelection in one of the most hotly contested battleground districts in the country.

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• More than a dozen House Democrats — including Jeffries' top two lieutenants — had called for Kiggans to resign as of Tuesday afternoon, with others vowing to unseat her in November either way.
• Kiggans said in a post on X: "The radio host should not have used that language and I do not -and did not - condone it. It was obvious to anyone listening that I was agreeing Hakeem Jefferies [sic] should stay out of Virginia."
• House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told reporters on Tuesday: "Sometimes people misspeak. ... I'll talk to her about it, but you should not be evaluating the character of Jen Kiggans based on some comment that supposedly she said."

Driving the news: The controversy rests on a Monday interview Kiggans did with Richmond-based radio host Rich Herrera on Democrats' thwarted effort to redistrict Virginia's congressional map in their favor.

• Said Herrera: "If Hakeem Jeffries wants to be involved in Virginia politics, then I suggest he ... leave New York, move down here to Virginia, run for office down here, you can represent us. If not, get your cotton-picking hands off of Virginia."
• "That's right. Ditto. Yes. Yes, to that," Kiggans replied.

State of play: Jeffries' No. 2 and No. 3 in Democratic leadership, Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) and House Democratic caucus chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.), both called for Kiggans to step down on Monday night.

• They were joined by the Congressional Black Caucus and Rep. Greg Meeks (D-N.Y.), the chair of the Black Caucus PAC, who told Axios he agreed with Clark that Kiggans should step down.
• Other lawmakers calling for Kiggans' resignation included Reps. Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.), Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), Robin Kelly (D-Ill.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Julie Johnson (D-Texas), Sydney Kamlager- Dove (D-Calif.), Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) and Chuy García (D-Ill.).

Jeffries spokesperson Christie Stephenson did not go as far as to call on Kiggans to resign, saying in a statement, "Jen Kiggans ... apparently craves a return to the days of Jim Crow racial oppression in the South."

• "The voters of Virginia will hold her accountable at the ballot box in November," Stephenson said.

The other side: Kiggans said in her post on X, "This is precisely what's wrong with Democrats. 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."

• Said National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Will Kiley: "Democrats' performative outrage over this total nothing-burger is completely selective and driven by politics, not principle."

Axios' Kate Santaliz contributed reporting.

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