Expelled Legislators Jones And Pearson Win Special Primaries For Re-election To Previous Seats

Image Credit: Justin J. Pearson for State Representative / Facebook

The Tennessee Conservative [By Jason Vaughn] –

Two Democratic state representatives who had been previously expelled for protesting on the Chamber floor won the primary races for the seats from which they had been removed.

Justin Jones won the primary for District 52 in Nashville, while Justin J. Pearson won the primary for District 86 in Memphis.

Pearson ran against another Democratic candidate, David Page, while Jones was unopposed for his seat.

The two legislators had been expelled from their respective seats in April after leading a protest on the House floor following the shooting at Nashville’s Covenant School. They were reinstated by their local officials to fill those seats temporarily, but they have to be reelected in a special election to regain the seats permanently, according to state law.

A vote to expel a third legislator who participated in the protest, Representative Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville-District 13), fell just short. 

The special general elections for both seats are scheduled to take place on August 3. Pearson will go up against Jeff Johnston, an independent candidate. Jones will take on Republican candidate Laura Nelson.

About the Author: Jason Vaughn, Media Coordinator for The Tennessee Conservative  ~ Jason previously worked for a legacy publishing company based in Crossville, TN in a variety of roles through his career.  Most recently, he served as Deputy Director for their flagship publication. Prior, he was a freelance journalist writing articles that appeared in the Herald Citizen, the Crossville Chronicle and The Oracle among others.  He graduated from Tennessee Technological University with a Bachelor’s in English-Journalism, with minors in Broadcast Journalism and History.  Contact Jason at news@TennesseeConservativeNews.com