NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Thousands of people are upset across the country after the Tennessee House voted to expel Justin Jones and Justin Pearson on Thursday. This happened a week after the two men and State Representative Gloria Johnson protested the General Assembly’s inability to pass meaningful gun reform.
Right now, over 63,000 people in Shelby County do not have a state representative and potentially no voice for the rest of the legislative session.
People have their eyes on what is going to happen to the two house seats left empty by the expulsion vote.
Members of the Democratic Party in Tennessee and nearly 20,000 petition signees are determined to make sure those who were expelled are back on the house floor very soon.
“It was a necessary ignition,” said State Rep. Antonio Parkinson.
Less than a day after the expulsion vote removed both Black representatives of the Tennessee Three from office, the Tennessee Black Caucus rushed to their side.
“What they were doing was fighting for people, that’s a just cause,” said House Minority Leader Karen Camper.
Just a few moments after his own expulsion, Justin Pearson of Memphis told crowds of supporters at the state capital his journey in Nashville was far from over.
“We are definitely going to run for this position again and serve in this state legislature,” said Pearson.
His fellow leaders from Shelby County agree. Those present at the caucus vowed to help Pearson get reappointed to his vacant District 86 seat — with the help of the Shelby County Commission.
“As African Americans, Black people, we believe in family first, and this is a family, and so we walk with each other, and so that’s what were going to continue to advocate for,” said Rep. Torrey Harris, “We would like to see whatever’s best for Shelby County, and what’s best for Shelby County is for Representative Justin Pearson, who was elected by those people to be sent back up here to continue to represent them throughout the rest of this session.”
Leaders also continued to echo Pearson’s message of gun reform. House Minority Leader Karen Camper said democratic lawmakers are willing to find a meaningful bi-partisan effort to help reduce the gun violence plaguing the state.
"We have to continue this fight," said Rep. Jesse Chism. "It’s a story that is happening too often — it’s become a common-tell, and we do not want the people of our state — the people of our country to become desensitized to death.”
Shelby County members from the caucus say they plan on visiting the Shelby County Commission to see what the next steps are to get Pearson back in his district seat.
A special election could be another path to getting reappointed.
Political Analyst Otis Sanford said this likely will not happen until the current legislation ends in a couple weeks.
The Nashville Metro Council has already announced its plans to hold a special meeting next Monday to fill the vacancy left by Jones’ expulsion, where they could reappoint him.