Key Takeaways
- • Memphis state Rep. Justin Pearson, 30, plans to challenge longtime U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, 76, in the 2026 Democratic primary for Tennessee's 9th Congressional District, according to Tennessee Lookout.
- • Pearson rose to national prominence after being expelled from the state House in 2023 alongside Rep. Justin Jones and Rep. Gloria Johnson, the so-called "Tennessee Three," following protests over the Nashville Covenant School shooting; he was later reappointed by the Shelby County Commission and reelected.
- • Cohen, who has served in Congress since 2007 after a career in the Tennessee State Senate, is a consistent liberal vote who has faced several primary challengers and dispatched them with ease.
- • The seat is considered solidly Democratic by political rating agencies, so the August 2026 primary is likely to determine the winner.
- • The race is framed as a test of older versus younger Democrats as the party seeks to reclaim the House majority in the 2026 midterms.
Summary
Memphis state Rep. Justin J. Pearson plans to challenge U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen in the 2026 Democratic primary, according to Tennessee Lookout. Pearson announced his campaign under a picnic shelter at Alonzo Weaver Park next to Mitchell High School in Memphis, where he had challenged the school board to deliver new books when he was a 15-year-old student. In his remarks, Pearson, 30, emphasized continued civic engagement beyond voting, citing his presence at County Commission, City Council, school board, and Memphis Light, Gas and Water meetings.
Pearson began his political career as a community organizer opposing the Byhalia oil pipeline through a historically Black neighborhood in Memphis, and he parlayed that work into a win in a 2023 special election for the state House. A month into his term, a shooting at Nashville's Covenant School killed three adults and three children. Pearson and Rep. Justin Jones led protests that resulted in their expulsion from the state House; together with Rep. Gloria Johnson of Knoxville, they became known as the "Tennessee Three." Pearson was reappointed to the state House by the Shelby County Commission a week after his expulsion and was subsequently reelected. The article notes he significantly expanded his profile through TV appearances and a meeting with then-Vice President Kamala Harris.
Cohen, 76, began his career in the Tennessee State Senate in the 1980s, served there for more than two decades, and won the 9th Congressional District seat in 2006. He is considered a consistent Democratic and liberal vote, supports abortion rights, voted for the Affordable Care Act, pushed for marijuana legalization, and voted to impeach Donald Trump twice during his first term. Cohen has faced several primary challenges since his election and dispatched them with ease. Shortly before Pearson's announcement, Cohen posted on Facebook without naming Pearson, referring to him as an "ambitious young candidate" and vowing to "turn back this challenge" while citing a shutdown, an "out-of-control, power-grabbing executive," and ICE and National Guard deployments on the streets of Memphis.
The 9th District, composed of most of Shelby County and portions of Tipton County, was designated a majority-minority district in 1980 and was held by Harold Ford Sr. and Harold Ford Jr. until Ford Jr. ran for U.S. Senate in 2006. Political rating agencies consider the seat solidly Democratic regardless of the primary outcome. The primary election is scheduled for August 2026, with the general election in November 2026. The article is marked as a developing story.
Pearson began his political career as a community organizer opposing the Byhalia oil pipeline through a historically Black neighborhood in Memphis, and he parlayed that work into a win in a 2023 special election for the state House. A month into his term, a shooting at Nashville's Covenant School killed three adults and three children. Pearson and Rep. Justin Jones led protests that resulted in their expulsion from the state House; together with Rep. Gloria Johnson of Knoxville, they became known as the "Tennessee Three." Pearson was reappointed to the state House by the Shelby County Commission a week after his expulsion and was subsequently reelected. The article notes he significantly expanded his profile through TV appearances and a meeting with then-Vice President Kamala Harris.
Cohen, 76, began his career in the Tennessee State Senate in the 1980s, served there for more than two decades, and won the 9th Congressional District seat in 2006. He is considered a consistent Democratic and liberal vote, supports abortion rights, voted for the Affordable Care Act, pushed for marijuana legalization, and voted to impeach Donald Trump twice during his first term. Cohen has faced several primary challenges since his election and dispatched them with ease. Shortly before Pearson's announcement, Cohen posted on Facebook without naming Pearson, referring to him as an "ambitious young candidate" and vowing to "turn back this challenge" while citing a shutdown, an "out-of-control, power-grabbing executive," and ICE and National Guard deployments on the streets of Memphis.
The 9th District, composed of most of Shelby County and portions of Tipton County, was designated a majority-minority district in 1980 and was held by Harold Ford Sr. and Harold Ford Jr. until Ford Jr. ran for U.S. Senate in 2006. Political rating agencies consider the seat solidly Democratic regardless of the primary outcome. The primary election is scheduled for August 2026, with the general election in November 2026. The article is marked as a developing story.
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