Two of the “Tennessee Three” are BACK in Congress after being expelled for violent gun control protests: “The Republicans messed up… now they’re going to find out!”
Two of the “Tennessee Three” are BACK in Congress after being expelled for violent gun control protests: “The Republicans messed up… now they’re going to find out!”
- Justin Jones, 27; Justin Pearson, 28; and Gloria Johnson, 61, all protested in April demanding stricter gun control: the two young black men were evicted
- Jones and Pearson’s case attracted national attention and Johnson said the legislature was racist: they were temporarily reinstated a week later
- On Thursday, both Jones and Pearson won the special election to officially reinstate them and release them to complete their terms in office
Two Tennessee politicians who were kicked out of the state legislature for protesting stricter gun control won re-election Thursday, securing their return after four months of unrest.
Justin Jones, 27; Justin Pearson, 28; and Gloria Johnson, 61, became known as the Tennessee Three after they were condemned by the legislature for their rowdy April protest on the House floor.
Their protest came days after three nine-year-old children and three adults were killed in a shooting at a Nashville school.
Jones and Pearson, who are both black, were evicted: Johnson, who is white, avoided eviction, saying the legislature was racist.
The two young black men were temporarily reinstated in the legislature after a week, amid a flurry of publicity — Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and Barack Obama all praised them for taking a stand, and Biden invited them to the White House to discuss gun control.
On Thursday, they both won re-election to their seats in a special election held after the eviction.
Justin Jones (left) and Justin Pearson (right, with his mother Kimberly) are pictured celebrating their election victories on Thursday
The result means they will be reinstated as full members of the legislature and will serve out the remainder of their term.
Jones tweeted a photo of House Speaker Cameron Sexton, who had argued that the three deserved to be suspended for being “disruptive.”
The three said they only caused a scene because their repeated attempts to hold a gun control debate in the Republican-controlled legislature were blocked.
“Well, Mr. Speaker, the people have spoken,” Jones tweeted Thursday.
“The FIND OUT era of politics has only just begun.
“Until August 21 for a special session.”
Thursday’s election came as lawmakers prepared to return to Nashville later this month for a special session to address the potential change to the state’s gun control laws.
Nancy Pelosi was among those who tweeted congratulations, telling Jones, “Congratulations on your landslide victory and return to the Tennessee legislature! I’m so glad the voters have sent you back to where you belong: striving for justice and opportunity for the people.”
Pearson is seen with Joe Biden in the Oval Office on April 24
Jones (left) and Pearson (right) are seen during their eviction hearings on April 6
Jones, who lives in Nashville, ran against Republican nominee Laura Nelson.
Meanwhile, Pearson of Memphis faced Independent candidate Jeff Johnston.
“I think if we keep running this race, there will be win after win after win,” Pearson told supporters on Thursday.
He stressed that his victory was largely possible thanks to black women and the organizing work they had done to make him and other politicians successful.
While the re-election of Jones and Pearson to their old posts won’t make a significant dent for the Republican majority in the legislature, they are expected to go against the policies of some of their Republican colleagues.