Tennessee Representatives Justin Pearson and Justin Jones, popularly known as the “Tennessee Three,” are striving to regain their legislative positions after being expelled for their involvement in a gun control protest on the House floor. Although they were reinstated on an interim basis, they must now win a special election to fully reclaim their seats. Pearson, hailing from Memphis, is running against independent candidate Jeff Johnston, while Jones, residing in Nashville, faces Republican candidate Laura Nelson. Both districts strongly favor Democrats, which bodes well for their campaigns.
Pearson expressed his determination to send a resounding message to those who attempted to silence District 86. The protest by Jones and Pearson, alongside Democrat Rep. Gloria Johnson, garnered attention after a tragic shooting in Nashville drew thousands of protesters demanding stricter gun regulations. Despite joining the demonstrators in their pleas for action, Republican lawmakers deemed their actions in violation of House rules and subsequently expelled them, leaving around 140,000 primarily Black voters without representation.
The expulsions stirred national support for the “Tennessee Three,” especially in terms of campaign fundraising. Pearson and Jones managed to raise an astonishing $2 million through approximately 70,400 donations, a remarkable feat for freshman Democrats in a superminority. In contrast, their opponents struggled to secure significant funding, with Nelson accumulating just over $34,000 and Johnston raising less than $400.
The outcome of Thursday’s election will also impact two additional legislative seats. In Nashville, Aftyn Behn, a community organizer, and former Metro Councilmember Anthony Davis are competing for a spot in the general election for a House seat previously held by the late Democratic Rep. Bill Beck. Meanwhile, in eastern Tennessee, the general election for Republican-leaning District 3 will feature Republican Timothy Hill against Democrat Lori Love. The seat became vacant when former Republican Rep. Scotty Campbell resigned following a violation of the Legislature’s workplace discrimination and harassment policy.
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