State Rep. Gloria Johnson, one of 'Tennessee 3,' caps off US Senate campaign launch in Memphis

State Rep. Gloria Johnson ended her senatorial campaign launch day in Memphis on Tuesday meeting with constituents and telling West Tennessee voters why she is running for a Tennessee U.S. Senate seat. The Knoxville Democrat started her campaign launch event in Knoxville Tuesday morning before stops in Nashville and Memphis.

Johnson used her stature as a "Tennessee Three" member as a launch pad to rile up the already excited crowd, with State Rep. Justin Pearson, a Memphis Democrat, introducing her before she began her speech. He noted her physical stature of 6 feet, 3 inches tall, saying someone needed to stand up for people in Tennessee.

"It is time for us to stand up for the vision of the United States of America," Pearson said.

Talking of her lack of fear and hesitation when standing up for what she believes in, Johnson said that the incumbent, Senator Marsha Blackburn, has already begun to "play it dirty."

"It is going to be an uphill battle, it is not going to be easy, but I am not afraid of a fight," Johnson said. "I know that she will be dirty, she started today."

The Memphis event was held at the I AM A MAN Plaza, a space honoring the 1968 Sanitation Workers’ Strike and the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Johnson spoke of her commitment to union workers, raising wages and how her campaign is dedicated to being multi-generational and multi-racial in order to bring less divisiveness into politics.

"There are a lot of us when we are all together and people ask, 'Well how are you going to win?'" Johnson said. "Well, that's how we are going to win. We will not be divided."

Pearson spoke to Johnson's commitment to stand for those who have been left out of conversations by past and current lawmakers in Washington. Pearson also endorsed Johnson for the seat during his speech.

"It is time we have voices of people in positions of power who want to bring those who have been pushed to the periphery to the center of the conversation," Pearson said.

Blackburn was elected in 2018 as the first woman to represent Tennessee in the U.S. Senate. Much of Johnson's speech surrounded Blackburn's policies and monetary ties to pharmaceutical companies and gun rights interest groups. Johnson said she is dedicated to policies surrounding affordable healthcare, living wages for all workers and enhancing public schools.

"(Blackburn) is not talking about policy to lift up Tennessee families, that's what I am going to talk about," Johnson said.

Brooke Muckerman covers Shelby County Government for The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at Brooke.Muckerman@commercialappeal.com and followed on Twitter/X @BrookeMuckerman.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: TN Rep. Gloria Johnson to challenge Marsha Blackburn for US Senate