Democratic Tennessee lawmaker campaigns in Florida on avoiding ‘authoritarians’

Olean McCaskill talks with Tennessee state Rep. Justin Pearson in Olean's restaurant in Tallahassee on Sept. 6, 2024. (Photo by Jay Waagmeester/Florida Phoenix)

TALLAHASSEE – A Tennessee state House member once expelled from that body flew to Florida to advocate against authoritarianism and stump for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and running mate Tim Walz.

Tennessee State Rep. Justin Pearson, one of the “Tennessee Three” expelled for protesting on the House floor against gun violence, made a stop in Tallahassee Friday, a place he believes is “integral to the future of Democratic politics.”

“Absolutely, Florida is in play. I think Vice President Harris has increased the level of momentum and energy in this state in a way that we have not seen in quite a long time,” Pearson said. Especially the youth vote, he said, “is going to help swing this election.”

Pearson dined at Olean’s Cafe, a venerable soul food restaurant that also hosted then-Vice President Joe Biden in 2016 while in town for a fundraiser.

Pearson, who represents part of Memphis, and Rep. Justin Jones were expelled for their protests on the Tennessee House floor last year. The two, both Black, won reelection to their positions and continue to serve as Democrats amid a Republican supermajority. Democratic Rep. Gloria Johnson also protested but was not expelled. She is white.

The 29-year-old Pearson saw a parallel between leadership in his home state and the Sunshine State, both dominated by Republicans.

“Because democracy is at stake, the future of our opportunities as people is at stake, and when you live in a place like Florida or Tennessee you see what happens when authoritarians are in charge,” Pearson said.

“And when we have somebody who says they want to be dictator on Day One, we have a responsibility of making sure they lose so that we can preserve this democratic experiment.”

Small business tax proposal

Pearson appeared in the state capital in part to promote the small-business tax proposal Harris released this week.

She wants to increase tax incentives for startup businesses from $5,000 to $50,000, with an option to wait to claim the deduction until the business turns a profit, for maximized effect. The vice president’s campaign set a goal of 25 million new small business applications in her first term, if elected.

Pearson said Harris hopes to create an “opportunity economy,” and the small-business tax relief would help that, he said.

“The Harris campaign is really committed to our small businesses, committed to our HCBUs [historically Black colleges and universities], committed to helping to grow the places that haven’t been given the necessary investments, particularly in Black and lower-income communities,” Pearson said at the cafe, located across the street from Florida A&M University, the state’s sole public HBCU.

The release of the small business proposal came less than a week before the two presidential candidates are scheduled to debate.

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Georgia school shooting

The representative who made national headlines for his protest against gun violence commented on the school shooting Wednesday in Georgia that took the lives of two students and two teachers.

Pearson said the shooting in Georgia was preventable and criticized Republicans who have blocked increased protections from firearms.

“We get folks expelling members of general assemblies instead of doing all they can to pass laws that actually protect our communities,” Pearson said. “And a lot of our communities experience gun violence nearly every single day.”

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