Jen Kiggans Compared Abortion To “Infanticide,” Supported Allowing States To Ban Abortion With No Exceptions, And Voted Several Times To Restrict Abortion Access

2023: Kiggans Compared Abortion To A Nose Job Saying, “If I Wanted To Get A Hollywood Nose Job In California, I Do Not Expect The Navy To Pay For My Travel Expenses To Get There.”

2023: Kiggans Compared Abortion To A Nose Job Saying, “If I Wanted To Get A Hollywood Nose Job In California, I Do Not Expect The Navy To Pay For My Travel Expenses To Get There.” “Virginia and Hampton Roads lawmakers on Capitol Hill are speaking out about the tactic by Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) to block promotions for about 250 high-ranking military leaders because of his opposition to a DoD policy to reimburse travel expenses for military members who travel out of their area for abortions. The policy does not reimburse for the cost of the abortion itself. It was adopted by the Pentagon last fall in the wake of the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade. […] Representative Jen Kiggans (R-VA-02), a veteran Navy helicopter pilot and member of the House Armed Services Committee, said she disagrees with Tuberville’s tactic. […] But Kiggans agrees with Tuberville’s opposition to the policy. ‘Taxpayers should not be funding elective procedures,’ Kiggans said. ‘If I wanted to get a Hollywood nose job in California, I do not expect the Navy to pay for my travel expenses to get there.’” [WAVY, 7/13/23]

Kiggans Called Abortion “Shiny Objects” In A Radio Interview

2022: Kiggans Called Abortion “Shiny Objects” In A Radio Interview. “Kiggans has pushed back on the abortion issue, calling it a distraction from economic issues she thinks voters care more about. In a Sept. 8 interview with ‘Richmond's Morning News with John Reid,’ she said the economy, inflation and supply chain shortages were more important issues. ‘[The Democrats are] trying to distract with these shiny objects, like the abortion issue, and they're doing it throughout the country, and especially to women candidates that are running," Kiggans told Reid. "But they are running lies...attack ads that are lying about our positions on abortion.’” [13 News Now, 9/15/22]

2021: Kiggans: “I Am Proud To Be An Advocate For Life At All Stages From Conception Until Natural Death”

2021: Kiggans: “I Am Proud To Be An Advocate For Life At All Stages From Conception Until Natural Death.” In an Instagram post Kiggans said, “Around this time last year we welcomed pro-life groups from around the Commonwealth for the March For Life in Richmond. Today would have been the 48th annual National March for Life in Washington DC. (It was held virtually instead this year.) I am proud to be an advocate for life at all stages from conception until natural death. #MarchForLife #ProLife #VirginiansForLife” [Instagram, Jen Kiggans, 1/29/21]

Image: see original report, p. 78

[Instagram, Jen Kiggans, 1/29/21]

2020: Kiggans Said, “I Reaffirm My Position Against The Harmful Expansion Of Abortion Access And Stand By My Statement That They Are Not In The Best Interest Of Women Nor Women’s Health”

2020: As A Senator Kiggans Said, “I Reaffirm My Position Against The Harmful Expansion Of Abortion Access And Stand By My Statement That They Are Not In The Best Interest Of Women Nor Women’s Health.” “During the debate in the 2020 General Assembly Senator Jen Kiggans (R- Virginia Beach), who currently practices as a nurse practitioner, passionately decried the change in the law that expands who can perform abortions. She rightly pointed out that allowing non-physician providers to perform abortions opens the door to complications with dreadful repercussions. ‘As these new laws go into effect today, I reaffirm my position against the harmful expansion of abortion access and stand by my statement that they are not in the best interest of women nor women’s health’ — Senator Jen Kiggans” [National Right to Life News via Wayback Machine, Press Release, 7/1/20]

Kiggans Claimed She Had A Patient Who Committed Suicide Over Guilt For Having An Abortion 20 Years Earlier

Kiggans Spoke Of A Patient Of Hers That Committed Suicide Over Guilt Of Getting An Abortion 20 Years Earlier. “This is the year 2020, and I feel like we’ve come a long way. Although I don’t have names of patients, patient privacy issue to list the stories and the people that I’ve treated, for again the mental health crisis and the depression. I too had a patient that committed suicide over guilt of having an abortion 20 years prior, so I think the suicide issue and the mental health issue goes for both sides.” [Twitter, Jen Kiggans, 1/30/20] (VIDEO) [00:00:13]

Kiggans: Abortion Was “Not In The Best Interest Of Women Nor Women’s Health”

2020: As A Virginia State Senator, Kiggans Said, Abortion Was “Not In The Best Interest Of Women Nor Women’s Health.” “During the debate in the 2020 General Assembly Senator Jen Kiggans (R- Virginia Beach), who currently practices as a nurse practitioner, passionately decried the change in the law that expands who can perform abortions. She rightly pointed out that allowing non-physician providers to perform abortions opens the door to complications with dreadful repercussions. ‘As these new laws go into effect today, I reaffirm my position against the harmful expansion of abortion access and stand by my statement that they are not in the best interest of women nor women’s health’ — Senator Jen Kiggans” [National Right to Life News, Press Release, 7/1/20]

2019: Kiggans Equated Abortion With “Infanticide,” Saying The “Infanticide Issue” Was A “Turning Point” For Her When Deciding To Run For Office

Kiggans Said Abortion And Infanticide Was Her “Motivation For Running”. According to her interview with the John Fredericks Show, “Just watching the recent news with our top leadership, I watched in January and I think that was a turning point for me, watching the Kathy Tran video when Delegate Tran stood up and talked about the abortion issue. […] It became an infanticide issue, and I had to watch that video twice and I couldn’t believe that this was the same person who one year prior had been breastfeeding on the General Assembly floor. She said that, and then a couple days later we had Governor Northam defending infanticide on talk radio.” [John Fredericks Show, 4/15/19] (AUDIO)

• Kiggans: “I Think That Was A Turning Point For Me, Watching The Kathy Tran Video Where Delegate Tran Stood Up And Talked About The Abortion Issue. […] It Became An Infanticide Issue.” According to Kiggans’ interview with the John Fredericks Show, this controversy helped motivate Kiggans run for office. “I think that was a turning point for me, watching the Kathy Tran video when Delegate Tran stood up and talked about the abortion issue. […] It became an infanticide issue, and I had to watch that video twice and I couldn’t believe that this was the same person who one year prior had been breastfeeding on the General Assembly floor.” [John Fredericks Show, 4/15/19] (AUDIO)
• Kiggans: “Then A Couple Days Later We Had Governor Northam Defending Infanticide On Talk Radio.” According to Kiggans’ interview with the John Fredericks Show, “It became an infanticide issue, and I

had to watch that video twice and I couldn’t believe that this was the same person who one year prior had been breastfeeding on the General Assembly floor. She said that, and then a couple days later we had Governor Northam defending infanticide on talk radio.” [John Fredericks Show, 4/15/19] (AUDIO)

• Delegate Kathy Tran Misspoke In A Legislative Hearing That Covered Abortion, Saying That A Bill Expanding Abortion Access Would “Allow For An Abortion To Occur When A Woman Is In Labor And About To Give Birth.” According to the Washington Post, Delegate Kathy Tran misspoke in a legislative hearing that covered abortion, saying that a bill expanding abortion access would ‘allow for an abortion to occur when a woman is in labor and about to give birth.’ Delegate Tran later remarked that she wished she had said ‘clearly no, because infanticide is not allowed in Virginia.’” [The Washington Post, 1/31/19]

2019: Kiggans Appeared To Scrub Anti-Abortion “Infanticide” Language From Her State Senate Campaign Website

Kiggans Claimed Pro-Choice Democrats “Want To Promote Infanticide”...

During Her Primary, Kiggans Accused Pro-Choice Virginia Democrats Of Wanting To “Promote Infanticide.” “And while Kiggans ran as a staunch foe of abortion in her Republican primary this past spring— telling a right-wing talk radio host that ‘In Virginia…we are fighting a group of Democrats and leftist-liberals who want to promote infanticide’—she moderated her stance during the general election, pitching herself as a nurse practitioner who would help women find alternatives to abortion. She even removed a reference to ‘infanticide’ on her website.” [The Nation, 12/3/19]

Kiggans’ Campaign Website: “Jen Will Protect Our Young By Fighting Infanticide Legislation And Introducing Bills To Increase The Rights Of Newborns.” According to her campaign website, Kiggans “will protect our young by fighting infanticide legislation and introducing bills to increase the rights of newborns. Infanticide is not a choice, it is murder.” [Jen Kiggans for State Senate, accessed 5/31/19]

Kiggans Prominently Listed The Term “Infanticide” On The Issues Page Of Her Campaign Website.

Image: see original report, p. 81

[Blue Virginia (blog), 7/17/19]

…But Kiggans Removed “Infanticide” Mentions From Her Website After Winning Her Primary In An Apparent Attempt To Moderate Her Position

Kiggans Removed An “Infanticide” Section From The Issues Page Of Her Website In The First Month After The Republican Primary In 2019. “Well now it’s mid July, a month after the Republican primary, and guess what? Yep, Kiggans’ language, at least related to abortion, has changed significantly (see ‘before’ and ‘after’ screen shots, below). Now, post-primary Kiggans appears to have removed all mention of ‘infanticide’ from her issues page. In place of the ‘Infanticide’ section, Kiggans’ website instead now outlines her plan to provide women alternatives to abortion. Moderate (sounding)! […] Anyway, back to Jen Kiggans, whose issues page now looks quite moderate, including the section that used to be headed ‘LIFE’ and ‘Infanticide,’ but is now called ‘FAMILIES.’” [Blue Virginia (blog), 7/17/19]

Kiggans’ “Infanticide” Section Was Replaced With A More Moderate “Families” Section In Which She Pledged To Help Women With Unplanned Pregnancies Find Alternatives To Abortion.

Image: see original report, p. 81

[Blue Virginia (blog), 7/17/19]