MEMPHIS, Tenn. — District 86 Rep. Justin Pearson is one step closer to officially re-gaining his seat in the Tennessee General Assembly Thursday, after winning the District 86 Democratic Primary Election decisively over challenger David Page.
Thursday was election day for the special primary for Tennessee House District 86. This is the second time this year voters in this district will decide who they want to represent them in the statehouse.
Pearson faced off against Democrat David Page, a career early childhood educator who also worked as a behavioral specialist for Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) from 2017 to 2020.
Pearson is running for his seat again after Republican colleagues expelled him and fellow state Representative Justin Jones on April 6, 2023, for their participation in a protest against gun control in the state capitol.
Pearson was sworn into his seat just days before that protest. Even though Pearson was reinstated to office just days after being expelled from office, state law requires that he must now win another election.
Pearson won the first primary special election in January, making him the candidate for the general election in March. He replaced the late Barbara Ward Cooper, who was the oldest-serving state legislator. His win made Pearson the second youngest lawmaker serving in the Tennessee House of Representatives.
He now will head to the Aug. 8 general election.