Michigan lawmaker responds to colleague’s insults that she is ‘very low IQ’

Michigan State Rep. Mai Xiong (D-Warren) issued a forceful response after House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) publicly called her “a very low IQ representative” and “probably one of the dumbest ones in the legislature” during a press briefing on April 30.

The confrontation began when Hall launched into a series of insults directed at Xiong after she criticized him for canceling the previous day’s legislative session to attend a rally with President Donald Trump marking his first 100 days in office. “We have this very low IQ representative named Mai Xiong, probably one of the dumbest ones in the Legislature, and I saw this video of her, and she’s like ‘the House Speaker is not here today. We need to have session. You know? We need to work for the people of Michigan, Macomb County,’” Hall told reporters.

He then defended his absence, saying he was “delivering a new mission with President Trump for Selfridge Air Force Base” while claiming Xiong was “doing nothing for her county and for her district.”

Xiong, the first Hmong American elected to the Michigan House — and currently the only Asian American woman in the Michigan legislature — responded with a statement later that day, saying she was “deeply disheartened and disappointed” by Hall’s remarks. “These words weren’t just disrespectful — they were meant to demean, belittle and devalue,” she said. She also countered Hall’s claims by highlighting her legislative work and criticizing Hall for allegedly violating the Michigan Constitution by “hijacking” nine bills, including one she authored to support public workers.

In a follow-up statement over the weekend, Xiong emphasized the importance of accountability. “I want my children and others to know that standing up to bullies is always the right thing to do,” she stressed. “I want them to see that strong leadership means lifting others up not tearing them down.”

This is not the first time Xiong has had to deal with offensive remarks. Last year, she was also forced to release a statement after facing racially motivated attacks on social media, including accusations that she is a member of the Chinese Communist Party.