UPDATE Sunday morning: Check out the superb response (“Proud Virginian and daughter of a Kempsville HS grad here…maybe the real issue isn’t with us“) by Jamie Lockhart of Planned Parenthood of Virginia, one of the groups organizing yesterday’s grassroots VA02 town hall (to which Rep. Jen Kiggans was invited but OF COURSE didn’t show; instead, Kiggans attacked her own constituents for asking her questions and demanding answers!)
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See below for EXACTLY the kind of dishonest, whiny, pathetic, filled-with-LIES statement you’d expect Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA02) to issue, following a “town hall-style event hosted by Affordable Virginia and Planned Parenthood [and Freedom Virginia] in Virginia Beach” this afternoon. According to Kiggans:
- The people attending the town hall today were supposedly “phony paid protesters” there to “spread more lies about Congresswoman Jen Kiggans.” Of course, because nobody who opposes Trump, Kiggans, etc. would possibly do so in good faith, without being paid, and based on their honest assessment that Trump and Kiggans are a DISASTER. [UPDATE: See below for video of the entire crowd of 425 VA02 constituents, pretty much, standing up when asked who was an UNPAID protester and please stand up if you are!]
- The organizers of the town hall were supposedly “the same left-wing operatives who have been attacking the Congresswoman since she began fighting for real Virginians in her Congressional district.” Yes, everyone who opposes Kiggans, Trump, etc. is a “left-wing operative” and not a “real Virginian.” Got it.
- Supposedly, the people organizing the town hall today “operate through the politics of intimidation, have harassed her and her family at their home, and will stop at nothing to try to disrupt her good work.” Seriously???
- Supposedly, the folks from Planned Parenthood, Affordable Virginia and Freedom Virginia “come from the same activists groups that are now firebombing cars, shutting down colleges, and attacking American businesses because they can’t win elections or even figure out their own agenda.” Wuuuuuuut???
- Of course, Kiggans has to mention the “Soros Foundation,” because it’s basically a requirement that right wingers mention Soros’ name in as many contexts as possible, no matter what. It’s like they get bonus points or gold stars or whatever for doing so.
- Wait, so now a peaceful town hall is “political terrorism?” And wanting women’s reproductive freedom, an end to the assault on our democracy, etc. is an “extreme left agenda?”
On and on this temper tantrum goes, basically an unhinged right-wing media rant like you’d see on social media, Newsmax, etc. So…yeah, needless to say, this is NOT the type of person who should be in Congress, and definitely NOT someone who should be reelected in November 2026 – or should ever have been elected in the first place, either to the VA State Senate or to the US House of Representatives…
“A packed house at Virginia Wesleyan for the no-show town hall, where constituents came ready to discuss critical issues—but Rep. Kiggans was nowhere to be found. As an elected official, she has a duty to show up for the people of VA-02, including the veterans who served our country. Leadership means listening. Where were you, Congresswoman Jen Kiggans?”
Virginia Beach resident Alice T., sang. Jen Kiggans said she was a paid protester bussed in to intimidate her.
Stop avoiding the issue: why do you want to cut Medicaid? pic.twitter.com/JuOXaqfIGH
— Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia (@PPAVirginia) March 23, 2025
Is the extreme agenda in the room with us?
this is what I saw. pic.twitter.com/G0OBoPPuXU
— RaeAnn Roca Pickett (@RaeRoca) March 23, 2025
Rep. Kiggans is a No-Show at Town Hall in Virginia Beach
Over 400 constituents came out to air their grievances to a cardboard lookalike
Virginia Beach, VA – Yesterday, Affordable Virginia, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia, SEIU, and Freedom Virginia organized a town hall that allowed constituents to confront Congresswoman Jen Kiggans on her stances on Medicaid, Social Security, tariffs, and taxes to education, federal job loss, reproductive health care and veterans’ issues.
Over 425 fired up constituents came. Despite being invited, as anticipated, Rep. Kiggans was a no-show. So, in her place, a life-size cardboard cutout was there to “listen” to her constituents’ grievances. The chaos being spread across Hampton Roads has been felt by Rep. Kiggans’ constituents in the checkout lines, their workplaces and in their homes.
Dr. Elizabeth Willoughby, Associate Medical Director and Director of Primary Care for Virginia League for Planned Parenthood said, “many of the people I care for at Planned Parenthood rely on Medicaid to stay healthy, and this includes access to reproductive health care. Reproductive health care is essential health care!” she said. “Medicaid allows so many patients to not only manage chronic conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and mental health issues, but also to access the critical reproductive health services that allow them to make informed decisions about their own bodies and futures.”
“VA-02 resident Kimberly Johnson speaks to the crowd about how devastating the impact of losing Medicaid would be for her & her son Austin who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.”
“VA-02 resident Kimberly Johnson speaks to the crowd about how devastating the impact of losing Medicaid would be for her & her son Austin who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.”
VA-02 resident Kimberly Johnson speaks to the crowd about how devastating the impact of losing Medicaid would be for her & her son Austin who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.
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