Gloria Johnson, Tennessee Democrat Who Faced Expulsion, Wins U.S. Senate Primary

Gloria Johnson, a Tennessee state representative who faced an expulsion vote last year for participating in a gun control protest on the Statehouse floor, won the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate on Thursday, according to The Associated Press, and will challenge Marsha Blackburn, the Republican incumbent.

Ms. Johnson catapulted to national attention last April as one of the “Tennessee Three,” who led the protest at the State Capitol after a shooter killed three students and three staff members at a Nashville Christian school.

While the Republican supermajority expelled the other two representatives, Justin Jones and Justin J. Pearson, both young Black Democrats, Ms. Johnson, who is white, avoided the same fate by one vote. Both men were soon reinstated, while Ms. Johnson, the only one of the three old enough to run for Senate, was encouraged to run against Ms. Blackburn.

Ms. Johnson easily won her primary on Thursday, The Associated Press said, beating Marquita Bradshaw, an environmental justice activist; Civil Miller-Watkins, a teacher; and Lola Denise Brown, a Democratic activist.

“Tonight, I stand before you ready to work, ready to meet the voters, ready to mobilize voters, and ready to tell Tennesseans the stakes in this election,” Ms. Johnson told supporters gathered in Memphis, including Mr. Pearson. “I have never felt more ready to fight for Tennessee.”

Ms. Blackburn swatted away a long-shot Republican primary challenge from a former Statehouse staff member, Tres Wittum.

Ms. Blackburn, the first woman elected to represent Tennessee in the Senate, is widely favored to keep her seat. A fervent supporter of former President Donald J. Trump, she has gained attention for her aggressive — and at times misleading —