Justin Pearson, a Democratic state representative for Tennessee’s District 86, has won the Democratic primary for Tennessee’s newly redrawn 9th Congressional District. Pearson is one of the ‘Tennessee Three,’ a group of lawmakers known for their involvement in gun-control protests.
In the primary, Pearson defeated several other candidates, including state Senator London Lamar of District 33, community activist Marion LaTroy Alexandria-Williams, and attorney Jim Torino. Pearson, with a substantial campaign fund raised throughout his campaign, will compete against the Republican nominee in the upcoming November election.
Pearson’s campaign has received strong backing from influential Democrats within the progressive group known as ‘the Squad.’ This support includes Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from New York, Ayanna Pressley from Massachusetts, and Summer Lee from Pennsylvania. They joined Pearson at a rally in Memphis to bolster his campaign.
Pearson is recognized for his passionate speeches and has garnered support from various national left-wing groups. Some of these organizations include Justice Democrats, the Working Families Party, MoveOn, and Indivisible. The ‘Tennessee Three,’ which includes Pearson, Gloria Johnson from Knoxville, and Justin Jones from Nashville, gained national attention after a gun-control protest following the Covenant School shooting in Nashville.
Republican legislators expelled Pearson and Jones due to their involvement in the protest; however, they later regained their positions. Gloria Johnson narrowly avoided expulsion.
The primary’s backdrop includes Tennessee’s redistricting process, which split Memphis into three Republican-leaning districts. This change prompted Democratic Representative Steve Cohen to retire. Previously, the 9th District was a Democratic stronghold within a predominantly Republican state.
With the new map favoring Republicans across all districts, Pearson’s victory represents a significant milestone for Democrats in Tennessee. His campaign and subsequent election could shape the political landscape in the state moving forward.