Tennessee Reps. Justin Pearson and Justin Jones, who became Democratic heroes as members of the 'Tennessee Three,' are hoping to once again reclaim their legislative seats Thursday after they were expelled for involvement in a gun control protest on...
The young Black lawmakers were both reinstated by local officials, but only on an interim basis. To fully take back their positions, they must advance through a special election. Both easily cleared their primary election in June, and now face general election opponents for districts that heavily favor Democrats., is up against Republican candidate Laura Nelson. Meanwhile, Pearson, from Memphis, faces independent candidate Jeff Johnston.
Jones and Pearson were elected to the GOP-dominated Statehouse last year. Both lawmakers flew relatively under the radar, even as they criticized their Republican colleagues’ policies. It wasn’t until this spring that their political careers received a boost when they joined fellow Democrat Rep. Gloria Johnson in a protest for more gun control on the House floor.at a private Christian school where a shooter killed three children and three adults.
Ultimately, Johnson, who is white, narrowly avoided expulsion while Pearson and Jones were booted by the predominantly white GOP caucus. The expulsions drew national support for the newly dubbed “Tennessee Three,” especially for Pearson and Jones’ campaign fundraising. The two raised more than $2 million combined through about 70,400 campaign donations from across the country. The amount is well beyond the norm for Tennessee’s Republican legislative leaders and virtually unheard of for two freshman Democrats in a superminority.
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2 members of expelled 'Tennessee Three' vie to win back their legislative seatsTennessee Reps. Justin Pearson and Justin Jones are hoping to once again reclaim their legislative seats after being expelled for their involvement in a gun control protest on the House floor
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2 members of expelled 'Tennessee Three' vie to win back their legislative seatsTennessee Reps. Justin Pearson and Justin Jones are hoping to once again reclaim their legislative seats after being expelled for their involvement in a gun control protest on the House floor.
Read more »
2 members of expelled 'Tennessee Three' vie to win back their legislative seatsTN Reps. Justin Pearson and Justin Jones, who became heroes as members of the so-called “Tennessee Three,” are hoping to once again reclaim their legislative seats after they were expelled for involvement in a gun control protest on the House floor.
Read more »
2 members of expelled 'Tennessee Three' vie to win back their legislative seatsTennessee Reps. Justin Pearson and Justin Jones seek to reclaim their legislative seats after being expelled for involvement in a gun control protest on the House floor. The young Black lawmakers were reinstated by local officials on an interim basis.
Read more »
2 members of expelled 'Tennessee Three' push to win back legislative seatsTennessee Reps. Justin Pearson and Justin Jones were expelled for their involvement in a gun control protest on the House floor.
Read more »