The Tennessee House’s decision to expel two Black freshmen Democratic lawmakers fell along nearly party lines, with a few exceptions.
Republicans hold a 75-seat supermajority in the chamber and needed only 66 votes to expel the lawmakers, which they did for former Reps. Justin Jones and Justin J. Pearson.
In the first expulsion vote levied at former Nashville Rep. Jones, only Republican Charlie Baum voted against ejecting the Democrat. Baum represents Murfreesboro and was first elected in 2018.
He also voted against expelling Democrats Rep. Gloria Johnson and former Rep. Justin Pearson.
Although, Pearson was also expelled, three Republicans voted against it: Reps. Baum; John Gillespie, R-Memphis; and Bryan Richey, R-Maryville.
Rep. Johnson is the only one of three lawmakers who was spared expulsion, by one vote. Seven Republicans voted against expulsion in total: Reps. Baum; Ritchey; Mike Sparks, R-Smyrna; Jody Barrett, R-Dickson; Rush Bricken, R-Tullahoma; Sam Whitson, R-Franklin; and Lowell Russell, R-Vonore.
You can find a full tally of how each representative voted by clicking on each lawmakers’ name here: Justin Jones, Justin J. Pearson and Gloria Johnson.