After Republicans expelled him, campaign for Tennessee Democratic Rep. Pearson says he raised $860K

By JONATHAN MATTISE
Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee Democrats have taken in a wave of campaign cash since Republicans tried to remove three House members who protested GOP positions on gun violence. Memphis Rep. Justin Pearson tells The Associated Press his campaign raised about $860,000, most of it during the days after he was expelled and not yet reinstated. Had Republican lawmakers left Pearson and another young Black lawmaker in office, they would’ve been banned from raising cash because a legislative session was ongoing. The average donations were $27. Pearson tells the AP that shows a people-powered movement supports Democrats who currently hold a small minority of the seats in Tennessee’s legislature. A third lawmaker was spared expulsion by one vote.