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 – On Saturday, Affordable Virginia, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia, SEIU, and Freedom Virginia organized a town hall that allowed over 400 constituents to confront Congresswoman Jen Kiggans on her recent vote to cut Medicaid or Medicare, as well as her insufficient action to prevent harm to our federal workforce, veterans, and seniors. Rep. Kiggans was invited but did not show up. 

Credit: Joshua Stubbs

After a wildly successful town hall, and despite not showing up, Representative Jen Kiggans decided to put out a statement hurling accusations and calling attendees, her own constituents, “bussed in paid protesters.” This is a blatant lie and an attempt to diminish her constituents’ concerns and distract from her voting record. 

Credit: Joshua Stubbs

“We were disappointed Rep. Kiggans didn’t join us on Saturday,” said Emily Yeatts, Affordable Virginia Campaigns Director. “After months of protests outside her office and around the district, she still has not held an in-person, or even a virtual, town hall open to the public to address her recent votes in Congress. We wanted to give these people the opportunity to have their voices heard, even if she refused to listen. The real and gutwrenching stories they shared over the two-hour meeting spanned the gamut of issues from Medicaid and Social Security to education and veterans affairs. The reality is VA-02 constituents are suffering from the policies of this Administration, and Rep. Kiggans has stayed silent. She might not care to listen, but her constituents are building solidarity. They are going to keep showing up for each other, especially since she refuses to show up for them.”

“I’m asking you to tell her to call me back, whether she knows it or not, she works for us,” said Gary McCollum, a local veteran and pastor, addressing Rep. Kiggans staffers in attendance. “When you see the chaos and the mess that’s happening. I’m a former army ranger. I have the hip replacement to prove it. When I see veterans who are being ignored, can’t get service at the VA, can’t get a phone call back – when I see friends of mine who have committed suicide, whose spouses are trying to get benefits and can’t get them – something is wrong. This is not normal.”

“I’m here to support Social Security, there are a lot of people in this country where that is the only money they have to live on,” said Alice Twinning, Virginia Beach resident. “The new head of Social Security said this week, ‘If they don’t get their check, they’re not going to complain.’ Are you kidding me?”

“I have a relative that relies on Medicaid and Medicare due to a stroke he had. Outside of being his caregiver, I have 20 years of healthcare experience. I specifically worked with Medicaid and Medicare populations within Virginia,” said Sparkle Edwards, a frontline care worker and member of SEIU Virginia 512. “If you cut funding for Medicaid, that means jobs in Virginia are going to be lost, companies are going to close, families are going to be without means of income, and it also means that we are taking away revenue from the state of Virginia. Here in Virginia, you’ll be hurting millions of Virginians by cutting off Medicaid funding. By denying them access to healthcare. By shutting down nursing homes. By cutting off needed care to those, not just in the hospital, but who rely on Medicaid for mental healthcare… Today I am urging those in a position to do so to please say no to Medicaid cuts.”

Credit: Joshua Stubbs

“Many of the people I care for at Planned Parenthood rely on Medicaid to stay healthy, and this includes access to reproductive health care,” Dr. Elizabeth Willoughby, Associate Medical Director and Director of Primary Care for Virginia League for Planned Parenthood said. “Reproductive health care is essential health care! 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 and her son Austin who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. | Credit: Bert Shepherd

Amanda Pittman, Affordable Virginia’s Communications Director | Credit: Joey Tran