Justin Pearson wins Democratic primary in Tennessee 9th

State Representative Justin Pearson, a progressive Democrat and member of the "Tennessee Three," won his party's nomination for Tennessee's 9th Congressional District on Thursday, August 6, 2026. He defeated state Senator London Lamar and two other candidates in a primary contest that highlighted ideological divisions within the Democratic Party.

Pearson secured the nomination by a significant margin, capturing approximately 65 percent of the vote to Lamar's 25 percent. His victory sets up a November general election contest against Republican state Senator Brent Taylor, who has been endorsed by former President Donald Trump. The race will occur in a district that, following a recent Republican-led redistricting, is now considered solidly Republican.

Pearson rose to national prominence in 2023 as one of three state lawmakers expelled from the Tennessee House of Representatives for participating in a gun-control protest on the chamber floor following a deadly school shooting in Nashville. He and one colleague were later reinstated. His congressional campaign drew support from prominent progressive figures and groups, including Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ayanna...