Jennifer Ann Kiggans Bio
Jennifer Ann Kiggans (born June 18, 1971) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for Virginia’s 2nd congressional district since 2023. A member of the Republican Party, she previously represented Virginia’s 7th Senate district from 2020 to 2022. Kiggans is a former United States Navy helicopter pilot and a geriatric nurse practitioner who has worked at Eastern Virginia Medical School and in private practice.
Early Life and Background
Born in Tampa, Florida, Kiggans grew up in Orlando, Florida and graduated from high school there. As a high school student, she worked at Walt Disney World. She is an alumna of Boston University. In 1993 and 1994, she taught English in Japan through the JET Programme. She also lived in Japan as a Navy spouse for five years.
Kiggans joined the United States Navy in 1993 and was a Navy pilot for ten years, flying H-46 and H-3 helicopters. After serving in the military, Kiggans attended nursing school at Old Dominion University and Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. She is an adult geriatric nurse practitioner at Eastern Virginia Medical School and in private practice.
Path to US Politics
In 2019, Kiggans ran for the Virginia Senate for the 7th district, which was being vacated by Republican incumbent Frank Wagner. In the Republican Party primary, Kiggans defeated Virginia Beach School Board member Carolyn Weems, 52% to 48%. In the general election, she faced Democratic state Delegate Cheryl Turpin. The race was viewed as competitive, as the district had very narrowly favored Democrats in recent statewide elections.
Kiggans won the Senate election by a narrow margin, 50.4% to 49.5%. During her time in the Virginia Senate, The Washington Post reported that ‘Her record didn’t always fit neatly along a party line.’ She voted to expand nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people and for environmental protection measures. In 2022, Kiggans introduced a bill to prohibit transgender girls from playing girls’ sports and voted for an audit of the 2020 election.
Jennifer Ann Kiggans Career
Early Career (1993-2003)
Jennifer Ann Kiggans began her professional career in the United States Navy in 1993, serving as a Navy helicopter pilot for ten years. During her military service, she flew H-46 and H-3 helicopters. After her time in the Navy, she pursued a career in healthcare, completing nursing degrees at Old Dominion University and Vanderbilt University.
Before entering politics, Kiggans worked as a geriatric nurse practitioner at Eastern Virginia Medical School and in private practice. She combined her healthcare background with her military experience to develop a unique perspective that would later inform her political career. Her education includes a bachelor’s degree from Boston University, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Old Dominion University, and a Master of Science in Nursing from Vanderbilt University.
Virginia Senate Breakthrough (2020-2022)
Jennifer Ann Kiggans successfully transitioned from healthcare to politics when she won the Virginia Senate seat for the 7th district in 2020. Her campaign focused on issues important to her district, and she demonstrated an ability to work across party lines on certain issues. During her Senate tenure, she supported legislation expanding nondiscrimination protections and environmental measures, positions that showed some independence from her party’s platform.
As a state senator, Kiggans also introduced more conservative legislation, including a bill prohibiting transgender girls from participating in girls’ sports. She established herself as a politician willing to take positions that aligned with both moderate and conservative elements depending on the issue. This approach helped her build a political brand that resonated with voters in her district.
U.S. House of Representatives Era (2023-Present)
In 2022, Jennifer Ann Kiggans ran for the U.S. House of Representatives for Virginia’s 2nd congressional district. She narrowly defeated Democratic incumbent Elaine Luria in the November 2022 general election, 52% to 48%. In 2024, she ran for re-election in a district that was considered relatively competitive, with the Cook Political Report rating it as ‘lean Republican.’ Kiggans defeated Democrat Missy Cotter Smasal by a vote of 51% to 47%, securing her second term in Congress.
As a U.S. Representative, Kiggans has focused on issues including veteran affairs, healthcare, and space industry development. She opposes cuts to funding for veterans and has criticized military housing conditions as ‘in disrepair and unlivable.’ On healthcare, she has led bipartisan efforts to extend health care subsidies set to expire. Regarding space issues, she advocated to maintain appropriated funds for NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility and Langley Research Center in the 2026 federal budget.
Notable Events and Milestones
Jennifer Ann Kiggans has achieved several significant milestones in her political career, most notably her narrow victory in 2022 that flipped a congressional seat from Democratic to Republican control. Her re-election in 2024 solidified her position in Congress. On December 1, 2023, Kiggans made a notable stand by voting to expel Representative George Santos, becoming the only Republican from Virginia to vote in favor of the resolution.
Jennifer Ann Kiggans Career Wins
Jennifer Ann Kiggans has established herself as a successful politician with notable victories in both state and federal elections. Her career highlights include flipping a congressional seat from Democratic to Republican control and maintaining that seat in a competitive district through re-election.
Electoral Highlights
Kiggans has won competitive elections at both the state and federal levels. In 2020, she won a closely contested Virginia Senate race by just 0.9 percentage points. In 2022, she defeated incumbent Democratic Representative Elaine Luria by 4 percentage points to win her congressional seat. In 2024, she successfully defended her congressional seat against a Democratic challenger, winning by 4 percentage points.
Other Wins & Achievements
As a politician, Kiggans has demonstrated an ability to build bipartisan support on certain issues while maintaining her conservative party identification. She has led bipartisan efforts on healthcare legislation and has taken positions on veterans’ issues that have resonated across party lines.
| Position | Wins | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia State Senate | 1 | 2020 |
| 2 | 2022, 2024 |
Jennifer Ann Kiggans Family
Family Background and Political Context
Jennifer Ann Kiggans comes from a family with military connections. Her father served in the Vietnam War as an Army Green Beret. She has been married since 1999 to Steve Kiggans, a retired Navy F-18 pilot. Kiggans herself served in the U.S. Navy for ten years, beginning in 1993. The family’s military background has influenced her policy priorities, particularly regarding veteran affairs and military issues.
Personal Life
Jennifer Ann Kiggans is a lifelong Roman Catholic. She and her husband Steve have four children. Her military service and subsequent career in healthcare have shaped her identity and influenced her approach to public service. The combination of her military background, healthcare profession, and family life has contributed to her distinctive political profile in Congress.