A political advocacy group has launched a campaign opposing Virginia U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans over her support for legislation they claim is detrimental to families across the state.
Affordable Virginia dropped a 30-second ad Monday, accusing Kiggans of voting to “protect wealthy tax cheats,” cutting funding to support veterans, and limiting access to health care and Social Security.
“Republicans in Congress are holding our wallets hostage,” a narrator says. “Costs are rising on almost everything. They cut Medicaid, making health care more expensive for Virginia families to give billionaires tax breaks.”
In the ad, as footage of Kiggans speaking on Capital Hill appears on screen, a narrator highlights recent legislative changes to Medicaid via the “One Big Beautiful Bill” (H.R.1), noting it will raise the cost of health care by 75%.
“They’re threatening to shut down the government unless they get their way,” the narrator adds, referencing the ongoing stalemate in Congress over a government funding bill that would avert a government shutdown. Republicans blame Democrats for making what they describe as vague and unreasonable demands, while Democrats point the finger at Republicans for refusing to fund health car subsidies used by millions of Americans to make health coverage affordable.
The ad goes on to encourage viewers to call Kiggans and tell her to “stop making health care more expensive” and to keep the government open.
The group is an advocacy organization that works to implement “left-of-center policies” in Virginia and is a project of Family Friendly Virginia, the state arm of the Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy PAC, according to Influence Watch.
“Virginians work hard day in and day out to make ends meet and build a better future for themselves and their families,” the group wrote on its website. “Unfortunately, the rising cost of things like groceries, health care, child care, and rent is holding too many families back.”
The group argues Virginians deserve a representative in Congress who will fight to keep costs low and remove barriers to tools and opportunities that residents need to build success and live a good life.
“That’s why we at Affordable Virginia are fighting to hold Congresswoman Jen Kiggans accountable for neglecting the needs of Virginians,” the group states. “We want her to stop putting corporations ahead of families in Virginia.”
The rising cost of living has also emerged as a contentious issue in this year’s Virginia Governor race.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger has repeatedly blasted her Republican opponent, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears’ support for President Donald Trump’s policies. That includes thousands of federal government job layoffs in Virginia as a result of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) efforts led previously by tech magnate Elon Musk as part of Trump’s administration.
Recent polling of 1,300 registered voters conducted by YouGov showed both cost and availability of housing are top concerns for 37% of Virginians. In Western Virginia, 69% of respondents said there were not enough affordable homes to buy or rent. It was a top concern among voters surveyed.
Approximately 54% said the high cost to rent or buy a home was a major issue, while 60% said local governments’ efforts to keep housing affordable were “poor” or “very poor.”
