VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (R, VA-02) is set to launch her 2024 re-election campaign to the House of Representatives in a highly competitive district covering parts of Hampton Roads.
Kiggans' campaign launch event will take place at the Marriott Virginia Beach Oceanfront Resort on Sunday night, where she will be joined by U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R, NY-21), the chair of the House Republican Conference.
Her announcement will come just over the halfway mark of her first term representing Virginia's 2nd Congressional District, comprised of Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Suffolk, and Franklin, along with Southampton, Isle of Wight, Northampton, and Accomack Counties.
Kiggans was elected to the House in 2022, defeating the two-term Democratic incumbent Elaine Luria 51% to 48%. The race in Virginia's 2nd District garnered national attention as one of several seats Republicans needed to win to retake control of the House.
The 2024 election in Virginia's 2nd District is also expected to be hotly contested, considering the close result of the 2022 election and the district's history of changing hands between Democrats and Republicans.
With less than a year to Election Day, political forecasters such as the Cook Political Report and Sabato's Crystal Ball are considering the race to be slightly more favorable to Republicans than Democrats in the upcoming election.
So far, Kiggans' only Democratic challenger is Missy Cotter Smasal, who has lined up several high-profile endorsements, including former Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam and U.S. Rep. Jennifer McClellan. She announced her campaign in September 2023.
In April 2023, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced it is planning to target Kiggans' seat in its effort to reclaim a Democratic House majority in 2024.
