Political tensions in Memphis, Tennessee, have reached a fever pitch this October, with new chapters unfolding in the city’s ongoing struggles over law enforcement, gun reform, and party-line divides. At the center of this latest storm are two familiar figures: State Rep. Justin Pearson, whose bold bid for Congress signals generational change, and General Sessions Court Clerk Tami Sawyer, whose recent confrontation with law enforcement has reignited debates over dissent and accountability.
On October 8, 2025, Tennessee state Rep. Justin Pearson, a 30-year-old Democrat known for his activism and headline-making protests, announced his campaign for Congress. According to the Associated Press, Pearson launched his bid from a park near his childhood home in Memphis, setting his sights on unseating longtime U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, age 76, in the state’s 9th Congressional District—the only Democratic-leaning seat in Tennessee. Pearson’s campaign is more than just a challenge to Cohen’s years of service; it’s a call for a new vision in a district that has seen its share of political drama and policy fights.
Pearson’s rise to national attention began in 2023, when he, along with state Reps. Justin Jones and Gloria Johnson—collectively dubbed the “Tennessee Three”—were expelled from the Tennessee House after staging a protest for gun control in the wake of a tragic Nashville school shooting. The expulsion, widely criticized as excessive, only amplified their voices. Pearson and Jones were eventually reinstated, but the episode cemented Pearson’s status as a passionate advocate for gun reform and poverty reduction. As he declared during his campaign launch, “We can’t afford more of the same—it’s time for a new vision.”
Pearson’s activism extends beyond legislative chambers. Before his time in office, he was an environmental justice organizer, and he’s kept that grassroots spirit alive in his approach to public service. His challenge to Cohen, who has represented the district since 2007, sets the stage for a generational and ideological clash within Memphis’s Democratic stronghold—one that could reshape the party’s direction in the region.
But Pearson’s campaign is unfolding against a backdrop of deepening partisan strife in Memphis and Shelby County. Just a day before Pearson’s announcement, a partially released body camera video surfaced on social media, showing a heated verbal altercation between General Sessions Court Clerk Tami Sawyer and deputies from the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. The incident, which occurred outside the General Sessions Court, was not physical, but the video’s limited context left many questions unanswered. As reported by The Commercial Appeal, the full footage has not yet been released, and the clips circulating online offer only a partial view of what transpired.
The video’s release sparked immediate controversy. Some Memphis Republicans, including State Sen. Brent Taylor and State Rep. John Gillespie, seized on the footage to call for Sawyer’s resignation. Their demands were swift and public, reflecting a broader frustration with Democratic officials in the city. Sawyer, for her part, responded with a statement on October 10, arguing that the video’s release was less about her conduct and more about silencing her dissent against the recent surge of National Guard and federal law enforcement in Memphis and Shelby County. “Let us not forget that we are witnessing an authoritarian attempt to suppress dissent, and this video’s release is not about my behavior, but about silencing my voice and the truth I speak,” she said.
Sawyer also acknowledged the pressures she’s faced in recent months, citing “immense stress” from the law enforcement task force, budget cuts, and credible death threats. She told her staff and constituents, “I remain committed to serving you with integrity, even when my most human moments are weaponized without full context.” Notably, Sawyer made no mention of resigning in her statement, signaling her intent to weather the political storm.
The episode is just the latest flashpoint in a city where partisan battles are the norm. Memphis, a Democratic enclave in a predominantly Republican state, has long been a battleground for issues ranging from gun reform to criminal justice to fiscal policy. The divide between the city and its suburban neighbors—who tend to vote Republican—has produced years of back-and-forth between local and state officials. Disputes over ballot measures, budget priorities, and policing strategies have often spilled into public view, prompting harsh rhetoric and, at times, threats of retaliatory legislation from Nashville.
In the lead-up to the 2024 Presidential Election, Memphis voters overwhelmingly backed “trigger laws” that would allow the city to enact local restrictions on firearms and pursue gun reforms. The move drew sharp warnings from Republican leaders statewide, who threatened to withhold state sales tax revenue from Memphis and Shelby County if the gun reform questions appeared on the ballot. Democrats, including State Rep. Karen Camper, pushed back, calling the threat “shortsighted and counterproductive.” The dispute led to legal wrangling between the Shelby County Election Commission and the Memphis City Council, with the majority-Democratic County Board of Commissioners ultimately supporting the city council in a lawsuit against the election commission.
National politics have only heightened these local tensions. The deployment of the National Guard and federal law enforcement to Memphis in September—following a presidential memo from Donald Trump—has divided city leaders. Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris, a Democrat, has been outspoken in his opposition to the task force, arguing that it undermines local control and could do more harm than good. Republicans like Sen. Taylor have criticized Harris for cutting vacant sheriff’s department positions in the 2024 budget, framing it as a failure to prioritize public safety.
The debate has also touched on questions of race and representation. During a press conference about the Memphis Safe Task Force, Sawyer voiced her concerns about National Guard members policing a city they may not understand. “As a Black woman, I am going to say, what happens when rural people, from counties that look nothing like Shelby County, get to be a part of the National Guard and police a city that they have been told is violent, that they have been told is not equal to them,” she said, according to The Commercial Appeal.
These political and cultural rifts are not new, but the current moment feels especially charged. With Pearson’s insurgent campaign promising generational change, and with Sawyer and other local officials under fire, Memphis stands at a crossroads. The city’s Democratic base is pushing for progressive reforms on guns, poverty, and policing, while Republicans continue to demand tougher crime policies and greater state oversight. Both sides see the stakes as existential—not just for Memphis, but for Tennessee’s political future.
As the campaign season heats up and tensions continue to simmer, the city’s leaders and residents will have to navigate these challenges together. The outcome of Pearson’s congressional bid, the fallout from the Sawyer incident, and the broader debates over law enforcement and local control will shape Memphis for years to come.
For now, the city remains a microcosm of America’s broader political divides—where every action, every statement, and every video clip can become a battleground in the fight for Memphis’s future.
