Advocates Condemn Kiggans’ Vote for Johnson Speakership, Renew Calls to Stand With Working Families

“Kiggans has betrayed hardworking Virginians,” Advocates say

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA – Advocates in Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District are calling for Rep. Jennifer Kiggans to explain her vote for Rep. Mike Johnson as House Speaker and for her to work to lower costs for working families. Rep. Kiggans’ support for Mike Johnson’s speakership is particularly troubling due to his long record of voting to raise costs for working families while lowering taxes for billionaires.

“Congresswoman Kiggans broke her promise to put working families first when she voted to make Rep. Johnson Speaker of the House,” said Kristina Hagen, Director of Affordable Virginia. “Don’t take my word for it – all you need is Speaker Johnson’s own record in Washington to know where Congresswoman Kiggans stands. Speaker Johnson has voted multiple times to cut Social Security and Medicare and even opposed lowering the cost of insulin all while supporting massive tax cuts for the ultrarich. Johnson poses a direct threat to the wellbeing of hardworking Virginians and by supporting his speakership, Kiggans has made it clear that she will continue to put the needs of billionaires ahead of the working families she was elected to serve. Kiggans needs to explain her vote and how she is going to work with Speaker Johnson to lower costs – we’re listening.”

Kiggans’ district is home to many of Virginia’s 127,000 active duty service members, with nearly 15% of residents being military veterans (more than twice the national average) and over a third of residents over the age of 50. In sharp contrast to her vote today, Rep. Kiggans ran on a message of empowering working families, veterans, and seniors, but supporting Johnson for speaker is a direct betrayal of those promises.

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