A Memphis state lawmaker who rose to national prominence protesting against gun violence is hoping to elevate that battle — and his environmental justice fights — to the U.S. House.
Justin Pearson, a Tennessee state House member representing a Memphis district since 2023, is best known for being one of the “Tennessee Three,” a trio of Democrats who protested against gun violence on their chamber’s floor that year. He and state Rep. Justin Jones were expelled from the body by their colleagues, but subsequently reinstated by their local governments.
Before that, Pearson was known for pushing to protect communities of color from the often unequal impacts of pollution and climate change.
Now Pearson, 30, is challenging incumbent Rep. Steve Cohen, a 10-term Democrat who represents Memphis and Tennessee’s 9th District.
Pearson launched his campaign in October, arguing that Cohen is no longer up to the task of representing the city and its needs, especially as anger builds against President Donald Trump for actions like sending National Guard troops to the city.
“Our city is under occupation by the federal government and a tyrant. Thirty-eight percent of our children are underneath the poverty line. We’re in need of 55,000 units of affordable housing. And our city, as beloved and beautiful as it is, is struggling. And he has given all that he could,” Pearson said of Cohen in an interview.
“And when that’s the truth, it just becomes time for a new vision, a new direction, a new energy. And that’s what I am providing to the people in our district: A new vision, new direction, a new energy that helps us to do better and get further than we currently are.”
Pearson founded Memphis Community Against the Pipeline — now known as Memphis Community Against Pollution — in 2020 to protest the Byhalia pipeline, a proposed oil conduits that opponents say threatened a major freshwater supply for Memphis. It was ultimately canceled.
The progressive Democrat has since pushed successfully for the closure of Sterilization Services of Tennessee, a South Memphis plant that emitted ethylene oxide.
He is now working against Colossus, a major data center by xAI, Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company, whose gas turbines operated for nearly a year without air pollution permits. Pearson’s brother, KeShaun, now leads MCAP.
Pearson is making environmental justice a major part of his campaign platform, which includes increasing affordable housing, Medicare for All and new efforts to get resources and benefits to military veterans.
“The environmental justice movement really taught me about the solidarity dividend, about intersectionality. Because the places that are most polluted are most targeted for pollution … are also places that have the highest levels of poverty, have the lowest investment in educational opportunity, have the lowest wages and lowest wage jobs, overwhelmingly, and yet, are told that the American Dream is ascertainable,” he said.
“I’m running for Congress because I love this district and I want to see it thrive,” he continued. “We need more investment in resources to help tackle some of the crises that we are dealing with, from affordability to a gun violence epidemic to environmental and climate injustices.”
Pearson cites the environmental problems of the district as an example of Cohen’s failures. Cohen has worked to stop projects like Byhalia and the sterilization plant. But he only did that under pressure and shouldn’t get much credit, Pearson argues.
“All those things were done at my request and at the request of our coalition,” Pearson says. “They were part of the strategy that I was pushing for and helping to implement as part of our coalition.”
Cohen’s campaign did not respond to requests for comment. In a Facebook post before Pearson’s announcement, Cohen called him an “ambitious young candidate,” but said his own experience is what Memphis needs.
“We will turn back this challenge in the Democratic Primary and go on to work with the incoming Democratic House Majority to put a stop to this runaway administration,” Cohen wrote.
“With a shutdown, an out-of-control, power-grabbing executive, and ICE and the National Guard on the streets of Memphis, this is a time for the experience and institutional knowledge that I bring to the table.”
Cohen, 76, was first elected in 2006, and previously was in the state Senate for 24 years. The district is heavily Democratic, and the winner of the primary is nearly certain to win the general election.
Pearson contrasts Cohen’s tenure with his community organizing work. “As an elected official, you have to be even more involved than just writing a letter. That’s never enough,” Pearson continued.
Pearson has the backing of progressive organizations Justice Democrats and Leaders We Deserve. The latter group promised to spend $1 million to back him ahead of the Aug. 6, 2026, primary.
“You can’t just sit on your hands hoping somebody else is going to do it, or think it’s not your job, it’s a local issue or a state issue. If you are there to represent people, you have to figure out, how do you represent them? That requires work effort, and my opponent just doesn’t have that,” he said.
