NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee state representative was sworn in to temporarily replace a Democratic lawmaker who was ousted from her position by the Republican-led state Senate because of a federal wire fraud conviction.
Democrat London Lamar took the oath of office during Monday’s Senate floor session.
The Shelby County Commission in Memphis chose Lamar to fill the Senate seat formerly held by Katrina Robinson during an hours-long meeting last week that featured several votes.
Robinson was ousted from her position by fellow senators during a Feb. 2 session, with Democrats voting against the expulsion. Lamar will serve in the Senate on an interim basis until the Nov. 8 election.
Lamar, who is a Democrat like Robinson, has represented a Memphis district in the state House since 2018. Both Robinson and Lamar are Black women, and Senate District 33 is majority Black.