It has probably been inevitable since Justin Pearson’s emergence into the national spotlight in 2023 as a member of the “Tennessee Three,” a trio of Democrats in the Tennessee House who took on the GOP state-government supermajority over gun-safety legislation.
It was prefigured even earlier when the silver-tongued Pearson became the leader of a coalition that turned back an effort to build an oil pipeline in South Memphis.
And now, on Wednesday, October 8th, it becomes official: Pearson takes the leap and becomes a candidate for U.S. Congress from Tennessee’s 9th District in Memphis, taking on in the process the undisputed leader of the Democratic Party in these parts — Steve Cohen, who has held the seat against all comers since winning it in a multi-candidate free-for-all in 2006.
It promises to be a great showdown, epochal in scope, and it was signaled late Tuesday by two parallel online announcements — one from Pearson heralding a “major campaign announcement” on Wednesday and another via Facebook from Cohen, indicating just what was to come.
Said Cohen: “Tomorrow morning, an ambitious young candidate has said he plans to announce he is running for the House of Representatives in Tennessee’s 9th Congressional District. With your continued support, we will turn back this challenge in the Democratic Primary and go on to work with the incoming Democratic House Majority to put a stop to this runaway administration. With a shutdown, an out-of-control, power-grabbing executive, and ICE and the National Guard on the streets of Memphis, this is a time for the experience and institutional knowledge that I bring to the table PS, KEEP GOIN’ WITH COHEN. HE DELIVERS”
So it’s on — a true battle of political gladiators, capable of being styled in a multitude of different ways — David vs. Goliath, with Cohen playing the latter role; or with the incumbent congressman as Rocky Balboa, ready once more to snuff out the hopes of the latest well-credentialed challenger to his tenure.
In one sense, Pearson should be the favorite. As an African American in a majority-Black district, he honed his skills as a spokesman and is the possessor already of a considerable campaign war chest. But Cohen is no less well financed and, as indicated, has been challenged before by impressive Black contenders with a head of steam and, though both white snd Jewish, has vanquished them all, on the strength of his faithful representation of his constituentcy as well as his prominent service on the House Judiciary Committee.
News of the showdown probably puts a damper on the hopes, at least for the moment, of several individuals hitherto regarded as likely congressional contenders at some point — including Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and Democratic state Senate leader Raumesh Akbari, whom Cohen once foresaw as a possible successor.