The Republican-controlled Tennessee House of Representatives on Thursday voted to expel two state lawmakers for their participation in a protest against gun violence, but both have vowed to return to their old seats in the Tennessee legislature.
Democratic Tennessee state Reps. Justin Jones (Nashville) and Rep. Justin Pearson (Memphis) have both said they will run in special elections for their seats, but could be back in the statehouse even sooner if their respective city council appoint them on an interim basis.
Asked on NBC’s “Meet the Press” Sunday whether he plans to accept a potential reappointment and run in a special election to get back to the state House, Jones said “yes and yes.”
Pearson said he’d be “honored” to accept an appointment and run in a special election, but noted that he’s “already heard that people in the state legislature and in Nashville are actually threatening” commissioners in his county not to reappoint him.
“And this is what folks really have to realize, the power structure in the state of Tennessee is always wielding against the minority party and people,” Pearson said.
It’s unclear exactly how quickly the county councils will move to pick replacements, or when special elections might be held. But both counties appear to be moving quickly.
Nashville’s Metropolitan Council is set to discuss Jones’ ouster Monday and potentially vote on an interim successor, while the Shelby County Commission’s chairman is expected to set a date for an interim vote that same day.
The expelled lawmakers aren’t barred from reappointment or ensuing elections, according to the Associated Press.
“You know, we will continue to fight for our constituents. And one thing I just want to say … is that this attack against us is hurting all people in our state,” Jones said Sunday on NBC.
“You know, even though it is disproportionately impacting Black and Brown communities, this is hurting poor white people. Their attack on democracy hurts all of us.”
A member of the Nashville Metro Council said Saturday that he’s “received almost an email every minute since Thursday asking me to reappoint Rep. Justin Jones” and plans to vote to return him to his seat.
At least two Shelby county commissioners have said they plan to reappoint Pearson.
President Biden called the expulsion of Jones and Pearson “shocking” and “undemocratic,” while Vice President Harris met privately with the two ousted lawmakers on Friday.
The state House also considered removing a third representative from what many have dubbed “The Tennessee Three” who participated in the protest, Rep. Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville), but the resolution to oust her didn’t have the votes. Jones and Pearson are Black, while Johnson is white.
Jones, Pearson and Johnson had joined in as protesters swarmed the state government building in the wake of a mass shooting last month in Nashville, where a shooter killed three nine-year-olds and three adults at an elementary school.
The efforts to expel the three state lawmakers have in turn sparked further demonstrations.