TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Tennessee state lawmaker Justin Pearson (D-Memphis) visited Florida on Friday, stumping around Tallahassee with campaign promises in one hand and southern grits in the other.


What You Need To Know

  • A prominent Tennessee lawmaker promoted the Harris campaign ticket Friday in Tallahasse

  • Tennessee Rep. Justin Pearson garnered national attention after Tennessee House expelled him following a protest

  • His trip included stops at FSU, FAMU and a Tallahassee staple restaurant

Pearson’s visit marks the latest effort by Democrats to woo Florida voters toward Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Waltz’s presidential ticket.

Pearson garnered national attention in 2023 after the GOP-controlled Tennessee House expelled him and two others following a gun-control protest on the floor of the Tennessee House in response to a school shooting near Nashville. The three expelled, including Pearson who was later reinstated, are known as the “Tennessee Three.”

Pearson’s visit included stops at Florida State University and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. He also made an informal stop at Olean’s, a longtime mom-and-pop southern diner in Tallahassee,

Olean’s is a popular joint for residents and politicians alike. Included on the menu are meal items named after President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama, who have both made stops at the small diner. Pearson, a vegetarian, ordered grits — half plain, half with cheese, both with sugar.

“This campaign knows that nobody can be left behind,” Pearson said of the North Florida visit. “There’s not a stretch of this country where we will not go, or any places or communities that we think are dispensable.”

While inside Olean's, Pearson spoke highly of Harris’ commitment to small businesses, particularly those in minority or low-income communities.

The Harris campaign "is committed to helping grow the places that haven’t been getting the necessary investments,” Pearson said.

The North Florida visit comes as Florida Democrats face an uphill battle in the state against former President Donald Trump.

Trump leads Harris by five points in Florida, according to a new Emerson poll sponsored by the Hill.

“We out register, out raise, and outwork the Democrats,” Florida GOP Chair Evan Power told Spectrum News. 

According to the Florida Department of State, Florida is home to 1 million more registered Republicans than Democrats. Moreover, the Florida GOP out raised Florida Democrats 7 to 1 in the latest campaign finance report.