Tennessee state Rep. Justin Pearson announced Wednesday that he will challenge longtime Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen in the upcoming primary.

NBC News reports that Pearson, 30, was one of three state lawmakers known as the “Tennessee Three” who protested in the House chamber following a school shooting. Pearson and fellow Rep. Justin Jones were expelled from the legislature before later being reinstated. 

His campaign positions him as part of a new generation of Democratic leaders seeking to bring fresh ideas to Washington. He enters the race with support from Justice Democrats and Leaders We Deserve—groups that have pledged to back more progressive challengers. Leaders We Deserve, co-founded by activist David Hogg, announced plans to invest $1 million in the race.

“For too long, our district has been told to ‘keep going’ with the same leadership and the same outcomes,” Pearson said in a statement. “Our median income in 2024 was only 65% of the national average. Poverty persists across neighborhoods, and we’ve seen significantly less federal investment compared to other communities in Tennessee."

The Memphis metropolitan area continues to face high poverty rates and rising costs of living. 

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, household expenses in the region have grown more than 14% since 2020, largely due to increases in housing and food costs.

Justice Democrats said Pearson represents rising young leadership in Memphis and called for generational change in Congress. “This district does not have time to wait or keep going with the same status quo leadership that has governed for decades.”