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Gloria Johnson, a Democratic state consultant from Tennessee who narrowly averted being expelled from the Legislature in April after participating in a gun management protest on the statehouse ground, introduced plans on Tuesday to run for the U.S. Senate seat held by Senator Marsha Blackburn, a Republican.
Ms. Johnson, 61, acquired a flood of nationwide consideration after she joined two different Democrats, Representatives Justin Jones and Justin J. Pearson, to interrupt debate on the ground of the Republican-controlled Tennessee Home of Representatives and rally for stricter gun management measures in late March, simply days after a capturing at a Christian faculty in Nashville that killed six individuals.
In retribution, Republicans moved to expel the three Democrats — typically known as the Tennessee Three — from the Legislature. Mr. Jones and Mr. Pearson have been each ousted. Ms. Johnson was stripped of her committee assignments however averted expulsion by only one vote. (Each males have been later voted again into their positions.)
Final week, the State Legislature held an emotional and chaotic particular session meant to be dedicated to public security that ended with out settlement on any important new restrictions on firearm entry.
In a video announcing her Senate campaign, Ms. Johnson led with that concern, enjoying clips of stories protection of the Nashville capturing and highlighting her involvement within the gun management protest.
“When my mates and I believed moms and dads who misplaced kids at Covenant deserved a voice, and we fought for it, they expelled them,” she says within the video.
Ms. Johnson, who represents components of Knoxville, was first elected to the Tennessee Home in 2012, then misplaced subsequent elections in 2014 and 2016 earlier than once more profitable in 2018. For the 2024 Senate race, she is operating in a contested Democratic major in opposition to Marquita Bradshaw, an environmental justice activist who unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Senate in 2020.
Each hope to unseat Ms. Blackburn, 71, who in 2018 grew to become the primary lady elected to characterize Tennessee within the Senate.
In her video, Ms. Johnson steered that Ms. Blackburn was beholden to “extremists and billionaires,” criticizing her views on abortion.
Senator Blackburn’s marketing campaign spokeswoman, Abigail Sigler, accused Ms. Johnson in a statement of being a “radical socialist” who “could be a puppet” for President Biden and progressive Democrats.
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