Taylor claims win over Pearson in 9th District U.S. House race
by: David Royer, Mike Suriani
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Republican Brent Taylor has claimed victory Tuesday in the 9th District U.S. House race against Democrat Justin J. Pearson.
With 99% of precincts reporting Tuesday night, Taylor held a lead of about 2,500 votes, with 49.63% of the vote to Pearson’s 48.5%.
“Damn, the Democrats did not want to give up that seat,” Taylor said in a speech late Tuesday night. “I’ve got the same Tennessee grit that Davy Crockett had and with your votes tonight, with victory, I’m going to Congress and we’re going to give the Democrats socialist hell.”
Pearson, a Democratic state representative and an environmental activist, faced off against Taylor, a Republican state senator and former funeral director in the newly redrawn 9th District.
“In a gerrymandered district that Trump would have won by 21 points, our campaign to deliver a more equitable Tennessee came within a single percentage point of winning. I accept the results of this election for Congress,” Pearson said in a statement after the election.
Taylor was endorsed by President Donald Trump. Pearson was joined in a Memphis rally by prominent Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Taylor prevailed in the race despite a late-breaking sexting scandal.
The 9th District, formerly a Democratic stronghold, was redrawn by state Republicans this year and now stretches to the Nashville suburbs. The district previously took in most of the city of Memphis, which is now divided among the 5th, 8th and 9th districts.
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