Democratic Tennessee state Rep. Gloria Johnson, one of the members of the “Tennessee Three,” has formed an exploratory committee for a potential Senate run in 2024.
The move by Johnson means she is one step closer to entering the race to challenge Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) next year, months after Johnson was nearly expelled from the state House for holding up chamber proceedings in March.
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“Tennessee has a Senator that stands with bullies, I have a reputation for standing up to bullies,” Johnson said in a statement to the Associated Press. “I’m taking a serious look at this race and having great conversations with folks who are hungry for better leadership in Washington.”
During protests on March 30, Johnson, along with fellow Democratic state Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, interrupted proceedings for the chamber by using a megaphone to call for gun control laws and disregarding rules on decorum, among other House rules, according to state House Speaker Cameron Sexton. Jones and Pearson were expelled by Republican lawmakers the next week, but Johnson survived expulsion by one vote.
The expulsion of the members garnered national attention, with President Joe Biden inviting the three Democrats to the White House. Jones and Pearson were later reinstated by officials in their jurisdictions and elected back to their seats last week.
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Blackburn has not announced whether or not she will run for a second Senate term, but she has filed the necessary paperwork to do so.
The incumbent senator initially won her seat in 2018, defeating former Democratic Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen 54.7%-43.9%. The Tennessee Senate race in 2018 gained national attention when singer Taylor Swift endorsed Bredesen after being apolitical in previous elections.
