The two young Black Tennessee state legislators expelled from the state house after encouraging disruption from a group of anti-gun violence protestors in the Capitol both won back their seats in special elections held Thursday, the Associated Press reports.
Justin Pearson and Justin Jones have both been acting legislators since their local districts assigned them to be the interim representatives until the special election could be held. Pearson and Jones won by comfortable margins.
Republicans expelled the two young Black men after censuring them and a third member–Gloria Johnson, a white woman–encouraged protestors in the house gallery. Something about Johnson made her encouragement different than that of the two young Black men.