Monday, April 10, 2023

Justin Jones Sworn Back Into Tennessee Legislature With Justin Pearson Likely to Return on Wednesday


Only days after being expelled by Tennessee Republicans for leading a gun control demonstration on the floor of the House, Justin Jones is back where he belongs following a unanimous vote by Nashville Metro Council. A similar vote is scheduled to be held by the Shelby County Board of Commissioners to reinstate Justin Pearson on Wednesday

Their returns are on an interim basis until special elections can be held in their district within the next 100 days. But all things considered their election is more likely than not - unless someone is truly determined to keep them out by force. 

The expulsion of Jones and Pearson by Tennessee Republicans was so fundamentally unfair that they  have managed to create a generation of lifelong Democrats while alienating a critical mass of Republicans already sick and tired of Trumpism. 

Of course, it will be difficult for Jones and Pearson to get much done at the legislative level on gun control or much of anything else given the GOP's supermajority. But perhaps this supermajority will be short-lived. Republicans will probably continue to control the legislature for the foreseeable future, but a significant segment of Tennessee voters have now been convinced this level control is neither desirable nor healthy. 

One would hope this would teach Republicans a lesson, but in the age of Trumpism the GOP does the same thing expecting to get different results. In this particular case, the result is Republicans have turned both Justins into rising stars. 

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