Republican incumbent Jen Kiggans and Democratic challenger Missy Cotter Smasal are competing to represent Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Among other localities, the district includes Suffolk, Virginia Beach, Isle of Wight and parts of Chesapeake.
Jen Kiggans
Age: 53
Job title and company: Representative, United States House of Representatives
Highest level of education:Master of Science in Nursing, Vanderbilt University
Party affiliation: Republican
Previous elected office: Virginia state senator (District 7)
Military service: 10 years, U.S. Navy (Helicopter pilot)
Website: www.jenforcongress.com
What do you believe is the greatest problem facing our nation today and what would you propose to address that if elected?
The lack of strong leadership in our great nation. As a veteran, I know how important strong, competent leadership is to the success of any team. Strong leaders are accountable to the people they serve; unfortunately, what we’ve seen over the past four years has been the exact opposite, and it shows. We have an economy that Americans can’t afford to live in, a southern border that’s seen more than 8 million illegal crossings since 2021, and a world that grows more dangerous by the day. The Biden-Harris administration has missed no opportunity to blame others for their own shortcomings, despite all the major crises – starting with the Afghanistan withdrawal – that have occurred on their watch. The American people deserve so much more; it’s time for new leadership for our country.
The United States is currently providing significant military aid to Israel and Ukraine. Do you believe the U.S. should continue to provide funding to both or either of these nations? Explain why or why not.
I strongly believe that providing military aid to our allies is critical to achieving world peace: a belief that I’ve backed up with my votes in Congress. Without world peace we have nothing, and world peace can only be achieved through strength at home and abroad. As the proud representative of one of the most military-heavy districts in the country, I’ve fought tirelessly to give our men and women in uniform the resources they need to complete their mission, and will continue to do so when reelected. Providing military aid to repel attacks from thugs like Vladimir Putin and terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah ensures that members of our armed forces – many of whom I’m blessed to represent in Washington – will not be placed in harm’s way.
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has said the court should reconsider several of its past rulings, including one that protected the right to contraception. Would you support legislation in Congress to codify the right to birth control into law?
As a mother and healthcare provider, I believe that all women in our country should have reliable access to contraception. That’s why I’ve proudly supported expanding access to birth control (including eliminating co-pays) and fought to protect Americans’ access to In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). Last year, I proudly cosponsored the Orally Taken Contraception Act of 2023, which would increase access to over-the-counter oral contraceptives. This is an issue I feel strongly about and as a woman will continue to fight for as a member of Congress.
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Missy Cotter Smasal
Age: 46
Job title and company: Virginia Citizen representative on the Chesapeake Bay Commission
Highest level of education: Master of Science in sports management from Old Dominion University
Party affiliation: Democrat
Military service: Surface Warfare Officer in the U.S. Navy
Website: www.missy4congress.com
What do you believe is the greatest problem facing our nation today and what would you propose to address that if elected?
I’m concerned about the world we’re leaving to the next generation. Extremists in D.C. have focused on trying to strip away basic freedoms like reproductive and voting rights, and delivered only chaos. Our system needs significant reform to recapture the trust and confidence of the American people. Money in politics has corrupted the system, with members like Kiggans, fighting to garner earmarks for big donors, instead of voters. The MAGA right’s hold on Congress has also created uncertainty by proposing unacceptable cuts to the VA, which Kiggans voted for, which stifles our local economy. When elected, I will put Virginians first. That means working with reasonable Democrats and Republicans to fight for us. We deserve a leader who rejects extremism, works to restore faith in our system and delivers results.
The United States is currently providing significant military aid to Israel and Ukraine. Do you believe the U.S. should continue to provide funding to both or either of these nations? Explain why or why not.
As a Navy veteran who served during the war on terror, I understand that we must protect our allies and defend democracy. So many of us in Coastal Virginia have deployed friends and family members, and their safe return is our priority. There’s no better fighting force in the world than the US military, and no stronger proponent of democracy than the United States, and therefore, we must lead the way. In Congress, I will support sending aid to Israel and Ukraine, ensure we stand up to dangerous actors such as Iran and Russia, never compromise on our national security, and stand by our allies.
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has said the court should reconsider several of its past rulings, including one that protected the right to contraception. Would you support legislation in Congress to codify the right to birth control into law?
As the only pro-choice candidate in this race, not only would I support legislation to protect birth control, but I also support legislation to protect abortion rights nationwide – a key difference between myself and Jen Kiggans. The MAGA extremists in Congress with whom Jen Kiggans has aligned herself want to restrict access to birth control and pass a national abortion ban. Kiggans has even tried to force her extreme anti-choice agenda onto military servicewomen, by voting twice to restrict abortion access for active duty service members in the NDAA. I will unapologetically defend reproductive rights, which include protecting birth control and abortion rights. Kiggans has proven she cannot be trusted on either.
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Robert Reid
Answers to the questionnaire were not received by deadline for publication.
Answers complied by The Virginian-Pilot staff.
