NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Tennessee State Rep. Justin J. Pearson, (D) Memphis, is running for Congress while fighting to preserve the very district he hopes to represent.
"We're fighting to defend our district and to keep it so we can continue to have representation," Pearson said on Inside Politics.
Pearson may be best known for being expelled from the Tennessee legislature three years ago for protesting against gun violence following the Covenant School Shooting.
His Memphis district quickly sent him back to the legislature.
Now he is running for Congress, but he is concerned that his congressional district may be eliminated.
"This is another attempt to silence our voice, to destroy and disrupt our ability to even have a modicum of power," Pearson said.
After the Supreme Court weakened the Voting Rights Act this week, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, urged Tennessee lawmakers to call a special session and "redistrict another republican seat in Memphis."
President Trump, on Truth Social, urged Gov. Bill Lee to eliminate the state's only majority Black and Democratic congressional district and "give us one extra seat" in Congress.
Pearson is pushing back.
"We are not going to yield our ability to serve in the United States Congress because of tweets, because of threats, even because of a special session," Pearson said. "I'm in the Tennessee House of Representatives and if there's a special session, I'll be here with hundreds of people demanding that we do not support racist maps but rather we continue to keep the districts that we have."
Governor Bill Lee called for a special session next week to do away with the democratic district in Memphis.
Changing Memphis's district would require changes to districts across the entire state.
When asked if the elimination of his district was possible even with a primary election so close, Pearson acknowledged the threat.
"I mean, I think it's possible. And I think its dangerous and it sets a horrible dangerous precedent if they move forward in this direction," Pearson said.
Pearson surprised many by challenging longtime Democratic Congressman Steve Cohen in the Democratic primary to represent Memphis.
The New York Times and others have framed the race as a generational battle. Cohen is 76. Pearson is 31.
"I am not running against a person. I'm running against a problem, and the problem is a status quo that is broken," Pearson said.
Cohen has said Pearson is good at getting attention but not at getting bills passed.
It promises to be a bruising primary — unless lawmakers abolish their congressional district first.
You can see the entire unedited interview on Inside Politics which airs Friday, at 7pm on NewsChannel 5 Plus.
It is also available as a podcast. Just enter Inside Politics Nashville and start listening.
