VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — We continue to verify campaign commercials in Hampton Roads. We’ve already verified two ads in support of Congresswoman Jen Kiggans and now we’re looking into an ad that attacks her.
The ad states the following:
“Where do I start with Jen Kiggans? She said she opposed abortion '100%.' That’s a total ban with no exceptions. She even called the ban 'common sense.' And she voted to punish doctors for reproductive care.”
Let’s verify all three of those claims.
Did Kiggans say she opposed abortion 100% with no exceptions?
Not exactly.
If you take a close look you can see the House Majority PAC, which paid for this ad, only put the “100%” in direct quotations.
Four months later she clarified her stance during a debate: “I have always been a person who supported abortion in the cases of rape, incest and the life of the mother,” she said at the time.
Kiggans’ current website also lists her support for those same three exceptions.
So we can verify no, Kiggans did not say she is 100-percent opposed to abortion.
Did Kiggans call a total abortion ban common sense?
How about that second claim in the ad? Again, note that only “common sense” is in direct quotations. A Kiggans campaign spokesperson said in 2022 that “The vast majority of Virginians – and Americans – support common-sense restrictions on abortion, such as protecting babies from 15 weeks on.”
He added that “Kiggans believes the states should make these decisions.”
So we can verify that, no, Kiggans never called a total abortion ban "common sense."
Did Kiggans vote to punish doctors for reproductive care?
That claim is true. The House passed a bill last year called the “Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act.” The bill proposed criminal penalties – including up to five years in prison – if doctors don’t provide adequate care if an abortion “results in the live birth of an infant.”
Kiggans voted along party lines in favor of that bill.
Other campaign Verify stories:
- Did NC Rep. Don Davis visit the US-Mexico border three times?
- Verifying claims in local campaign ads: Jen Kiggans
- Is Jen Kiggans one of the most bipartisan members of Congress?
- First attack ad against Rep. Jen Kiggans
- How has Congresswoman Jen Kiggans voted when it comes to abortion access?
- VERIFY: Don Davis' claim on struggling families