Justin Pearson challenges Rep. Steve Cohen
Tennessee state Rep. Justin Pearson announced a Democratic primary challenge to long‑time U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen on Oct. 8, 2025. Pearson — nationally known after his 2023 expulsion and reinstatement as one of the "Tennessee Three" and backed by Justice Democrats — says he seeks generational change; progressive groups including David Hogg’s Leaders We Deserve have endorsed him and pledged $1 million to the campaign.
Politics
Elections
📌 Key Facts
- Justin Pearson (30), a Tennessee state representative who gained national prominence in 2023, declared a primary challenge to Rep. Steve Cohen (76) on Oct. 8, 2025.
- Justice Democrats is supporting Pearson, and Leaders We Deserve has pledged to spend $1 million on his primary race.
- Pearson criticized Cohen’s positions on Israel‑Palestine (Pearson said Netanyahu 'is committing genocide against the people in Palestine') and framed his bid as seeking a 'new voice, a new vision' after Cohen’s two decades in Congress.