Justin Pearson
D · U.S. House, TN-9 · Tier 5
Tier 5, “Critical on most positions”
'Netanyahu's government is committing genocide against the Palestinian people'; would withhold military aid, with a diplomacy-first foreign policy. After Cohen exited over the mid-2026 Republican redistricting, Pearson (Sanders- and WFP-backed) won the Aug 6, 2026 Democratic primary in the redrawn, now R-leaning TN-9 with 65.7% to London Lamar's 24.3%, and faces Trump-endorsed state Sen. Brent Taylor. Asked in April 2026 whether he backs ending all aid to Israel, he answered: “I agree with this position 100%. Netanyahu is a war criminal and we should not subsidize his wars nor genocide.” He repeated it on WKNO’s Behind the Headlines on October 2, 2026: it is not the country’s obligation “to fund the defenses or the military program of foreign countries,” which AIPAC has convinced it to do “for the country of Israel for decades.” He has not called for an arms embargo by name, pairs his criticism with some both-sides framing of Oct 7, and has stated no BDS, right-of-return, or anti-Zionist position in his own words, though USCPR Action, which endorsed him, says its endorsed candidates have committed to blocking U.S. weapons transfers and military funding to Israel and to supporting the BDS movement. In an October 23, 2026 op-ed in The Tennessean he called himself “the only candidate in this race who has never taken a single dollar from a Corporate PAC, AIPAC, Krypto or an AI company.”
A 5, narrowly. He names the genocide in his own voice: “Netanyahu’s government is committing genocide against the Palestinian people” (October 2025). He has twice said he would end all aid. Asked in April 2026 about ending all aid to Israel, he said: “I agree with this position 100%. Netanyahu is a war criminal and we should not subsidize his wars nor genocide.” On Memphis public television on October 2, 2026, he repeated it, defensive systems included: “it is not our responsibility or our obligation to fund the defenses or the military program of foreign countries. That is what AIPAC has convinced us to do for the country of Israel for decades, and I think it’s wrong.” USCPR Action, which endorsed him, says its candidates committed to blocking U.S. weapons transfers and military funding to Israel. Counter-case: 4/5, since the television line argues against funding any foreign military (he said no to Ukraine aid too), he has not named an arms embargo, the USCPR commitments are the endorser’s words, and he pairs his criticism with remembering Hamas’s assault on Israelis.
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elect26 places 2026 midterm candidates on a six-tier spectrum, from 1 (most pro-Israel) to 6 (most critical of Israel).