Justin Lafferty

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Justin Lafferty
Member of the Tennessee House of Representatives
from the 89th district
Assumed office
January 8, 2019
Preceded byRoger Kane
Personal details
Born (1971-05-13) May 13, 1971 (age 50)
Political partyRepublican
ResidenceKnoxville, Tennessee
EducationUniversity of Tennessee, Knoxville (BS)
WebsiteOfficial website
Campaign website

Justin Augustus Lafferty (born May 13, 1971) is an American politician from the state of Tennessee. A Republican, Lafferty has represented the 89th district of the Tennessee House of Representatives, based in the western suburbs of Knoxville, since 2019.[1][2] In May, 2021, he attracted widespread media attention for proclaiming (contrary to historical fact) that the three-fifths compromise in the U.S. Constitution was enacted to end slavery.

Career[]

In 2018, Roger Kane announced his retirement from the 89th district of the Tennessee House of Representatives, and a crowded field formed to replace him. Lafferty, a stay-at-home father and a landlord, was considered a significant underdog against several of his competitors, including former Knox County sheriff Tim Hutchison and former state senator Stacey Campfield. However, Lafferty outpolled both to win the primary with just over 30% of the vote.[3] In the strongly Republican suburban seat, Lafferty went on to soundly win the general election over Democrat Coleen Martinez, 64-36%.[4]

Remarks on Three-Fifths Compromise[]

On May 4, 2021, Lafferty made an impassioned speech on the Tennessee House floor in defense of the Three-fifths Compromise, a provision of the original U.S. Constitution resulting from a 1787 agreement between northern and southern states, providing that three-fifths of a state's slave population would be counted for representation in the U.S. House of Representatives. The compromise is regarded as one of the most racist deals among the states during the country’s founding. Lafferty said in his speech that the three-fifths compromise was adopted for "the purpose of ending slavery."[5][6][7]

Personal life[]

Lafferty lives in Knoxville with his wife and daughter.[8]

References[]

  1. ^ "Representative Justin Lafferty". Tennessee General Assembly. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  2. ^ "Justin Lafferty". Ballotpedia. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  3. ^ Ryan Wilusz (August 2, 2018). "Justin Lafferty pulls GOP upset in District 89, to face Coleen Martinez in November". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  4. ^ Brenna McDermott (November 6, 2018). "TN Election: Lafferty wins State House District 89 with 64 percent of votes". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  5. ^ Rick Rojas (May 4, 2021). "Tennessee Lawmaker Is Criticized for Remarks on Three-Fifths Compromise". New York Times. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  6. ^ Nicholas Reimann (May 4, 2021). "Tennessee Lawmaker Bizarrely Defends Three-Fifths Compromise As 'Ending Slavery'". Forbes. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  7. ^ KIMBERLEE KRUESI (May 4, 2021). "GOP lawmaker: Three-Fifths Compromise was to end slavery". Associated Press. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  8. ^ "Justin Lafferty, Conservative for State Representative". Vote For Lafferty. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
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