He may be the most polarizing person on Tennessee’s Capitol Hill — people either love him or hate him.
Nashville Rep. Justin Jones has become a symbol of the toxic environment in the Tennessee General Assembly where parties on both sides of the aisle are now completely fed up with the other, not even attempting to disguise their disgust in public exchanges.
Jones portrays himself as a valiant social justice warrior battling a racist and unjust system.
Behind the scenes, some of the Nashville Democrat’s harshest critics are members of his own caucus. In public, they may express mild disagreement with his incendiary approach. In private, they accuse him of sowing division even among people who agree with him on core issues. Many Democrats are barely on speaking terms with Jones.
Emily West/WTVFThe first-term lawmaker’s combative approach was on full display on the House floor Tuesday as protesters in the galleries expressed their outrage over the passage of a bill that would allow teachers with handgun permits to carry guns in schools.