Tennessee State Rep. Justin Pearson, who had been running a primary challenge against U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) in Tennessee’s 9th Congressional District, melted down and started screaming in the face of a state trooper after the GOP-controlled legislature voted in favor of a redistricting motion.
The plan restructures the state’s nine U.S. House districts ahead of the 2026 elections and eliminates the only district currently held by a Democrat. Thursday’s vote followed a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down a key provision of the Voting Rights Act, which removed the prior requirement to draw majority-minority districts based on race in states like Tennessee, where the black population is approximately 16 percent.
Republican Governor Bill Lee called the special session, and U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) ublicly urged lawmakers to redraw the maps to reflect the state’s overall conservative tilt.
The current 9th Congressional District, which is centered in Memphis and encompasses Shelby County, has been held by Rep. Cohen since 2007 and was the state’s sole Democrat-controlled seat.
The new map divides Shelby County into three portions and distributes them across separate congressional districts. Each of those new districts incorporates additional territory from surrounding areas with stronger Republican voter bases
All in all, the changes will affect all nine districts to varying degrees but are designed to produce nine Republican-leaning seats. This would shift Tennessee’s congressional delegation from its current 8-1 Republican advantage to a potential 9-0 margin
In addition, the proposal repeals a state law that had prohibited mid-decade redistricting and reopens the candidate qualifying period until May 15 to accommodate any resulting shifts in district lines.
The House passed the measure along party lines on Thursday, which was met with protests from Democrats in the chamber that involved chants, blowing air horns and holding up signs.
State Rep. Pearson, who represents a state House district in the Memphis area, launched a campaign earlier in 2026 to challenge Rep. Cohen in the Democratic primary for the 9th Congressional District. His bid, promoted through a “Defend District 9” effort, positioned him as a candidate seeking to represent the Memphis-based seat that the new map would eliminate.
The redistricting would require Pearson and other candidates to adjust to the reconfigured lines if the map becomes law, which would effectively eliminate Pearson’s advantage.
During Thursday’s vote, Pearson became involved in an incident with Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers in the Capitol. After House Speaker Cameron Sexton directed the clearing of the public gallery amid ongoing protests against the map, some demonstrators refused to leave.
Among them was Pearson’s brother, KeShaun Pearson. Troopers moved to remove the individuals who remained. Video from the scene shows Rep. Pearson confronting the troopers as they handled his brother’s removal.
In the exchange, he raised his voice and directed profanity toward the troopers, including phrases such as “Move the f*ck back! Boy!” and “The f*ck is wrong with you?! You stupid motherf*cker!” His brother was taken into custody following the incident
NOW: Tennessee State Rep. Justin Pearson (D) gets CAUGHT on camera INTIMIDATING State Troopers and getting in their FACE, because he was so angry that 2026 redistricting is passing
The thug gets in his face: "MOVE THE F*CK BACK! BOY!! The f*ck is wrong wichu?! You stupid… pic.twitter.com/x8kXLS8LEM
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) May 7, 2026
Pearson is no stranger to theatrics. In 2023, he and two of his colleagues were expelled from the Tennessee State House for leading a mob of protesters onto the House floor after they refused to pass a gun control bill Democrats had supported.
He was ultimately re-elected following a special election.
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