U.S. Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14) and Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) have joined the growing list of nationally recognized progressive Democrats throwing their endorsements behind State Representative Justin Pearson (D-Memphis), who seeks his party’s nomination to represent Tennessee in the newly redrawn 9th Congressional District.
Ocasio-Cortez’s endorsement of Pearson was announced via the New York Democrat’s congressional campaign account on the social media platform X.
“We are proud to endorse Justin J. Pearson for Congress in Tennessee’s 9th District,” the Team AOC account posted to X. “Justin will be a fearless fighter for the working people of Tennessee, not billionaires or corporations.”
We are proud to endorse Justin J. Pearson for Congress in Tennessee’s 9th District.
Justin will be a fearless fighter for the working people of Tennessee, not billionaires or corporations.
Go to https://t.co/2g6dP24Jgv to join the movement. pic.twitter.com/ZzHHcdmjHm
— Team AOC (@TeamAOC) June 25, 2026
Pearson shared Omar’s endorsement in his own post on X, stating he was “proud to have the endorsement” of the first Somali-American elected to Congress.
In the endorsement posted by Pearson, Omar wrote, “Justin J. Pearson is the leader this moment demands. The status quo is leaving too many Americans in the dust, while billionaires and corporations get richer.”
Omar’s endorsement came two days before the Ocasio-Cortez campaign’s post.
Very proud to have the endorsement of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar ! @IlhanMN pic.twitter.com/pQfs68uly0
— Justin J. Pearson (@Justinjpearson) June 23, 2026
The endorsements continue Pearson’s pattern of support from high-profile progressives. In addition to Omar and Ocasio-Cortez, Pearson has secured endorsements from U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and U.S. Representatives Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-07), and Ro Khanna (D-CA-17). All four are all members of the Congressional Progressives Caucus.
Pearson also secured early support from the Justice Democrats, a progressive political action committee (PAC) launched by former Sanders staffers that has been credited for propelling Ocasio-Cortez to victory in her 2018 congressional race.
Locally, Pearson has secured endorsements from more than 10 members of the Tennessee General Assembly, including State Representative Aftyn Behn (D-Nashville), who has been called the “AOC of Tennessee” by Democrats.
Behn represented her party in the special election caused by the retirement of former U.S. Representative Mark Green. She ultimately lost to U.S. Representative Matt Van Epps (R-TN-07).
While U.S. Representative Steve Cohen (D-TN-09) announced he would end his campaign after Republicans redrew the former Democratic stronghold district to lean Republican, Pearson has maintained he can still win the general election in November.
“They know that this is going to be one of the most competitive seats in the United States of America already,” said Pearson in a recent interview. “We haven’t even got through the primary, and they’re going to have to spend millions and millions and millions of dollars to try and keep it.”
Democratic Party primary voters will head to the polls on August 6 to choose their candidate. State Senator London Lamar (D-Memphis), La Troy A-Williams, and Jim Torino are also seeking the party’s nomination.
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Tom Pappert is a 2025 recipient of the Dao Prize and the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star. He also reports for the Star News Network. Follow Tom on X. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Justin Pearson” by Justin Pearson. Photo “Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez” by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Photo “Ilhan Omar” by Ilhan Omar.
