U.S. Representative Steve Cohen (D-TN-09) urged Memphis Democrats to “Keep Going with Cohen” in remarks published Wednesday by NOTUS, arguing that his primary challenger, State Representative Justin Pearson (D-Memphis), has “no record” to show voters as he seeks their support.
While the news outlet described the upcoming Democratic primary in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District as a test of the party’s desire for “generational change,” and Pearson claimed the race was about “energy,” Cohen told NOTUS that his record speaks for itself.
“I always have run on my record,” Cohen told the outlet. “‘Keep going with Cohen.’ People have embraced that slogan. They’ve embraced that concept. And that’s the issue, you want to keep going with Cohen, a known quantity that’s delivered. Or do you want to go with some goals, wishes to glimmer, but no record?”
Cohen, 76, was first elected to represent the district in 2006. He had previously served in the Tennessee State Senate since 1982, and first served in government on the Shelby County Board of Commissioners from 1978-1980.
Former Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Hendrell Remus told NOTUS that, despite Cohen delivering for constituents on key votes, his age may prove his downfall against Pearson, 30.
“I think Democrats across the country should really be taking notice that we have in Steve Cohen a career public servant who has been on the right side of every Democratic issue,” Remus told the outlet. “But time has caught up with him in a way where there are emerging leaders who also share many of the same ideals and the same values.”
This is at least the second major national publication to cover the Democratic primary, with The Nation first prompting an objection from Cohen, as well as a letter to the editor, with its coverage of Pearson’s candidacy earlier this month.
Cohen described the article as an apparent, “PR piece for a young man who is challenging me,” and suggested it was, “clearly written by someone who knows little about the Memphis area or me.”
Taking a swipe at Pearson’s record, he noted in his letter to The Nation, “By the time I was my challenger’s age, I was serving on the Shelby County Commission and had assembled a bipartisan coalition to fund and build a charity hospital then called The MED, now called Regional One.”
Pearson is notably endorsed by the Justice Democrats, a progressive political action committee (PAC) created by former staffers for Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT). The PAC is associated with prominent Democrats including U.S. Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14), Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-07), and Summer Lee (D-PA-12).
Though currently rated solidly Democratic by the Cook Political Report, analysts have suggested that the 9th Congressional District could swing safely Republican if the U.S. Supreme Court reins in the Voting Rights Act in a decision some expect will be released later this year.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Steve Cohen” by Steve Cohen.
Gone downhill for 20 years with Cohen, it’ll continue another 20 if they elect Pearson.
keep going where? into the toilet?
both of these candidates are complete clowns.