Two Tennessee Democrats who were ejected from the Republican-dominated state House of Representatives last week for protesting gun restrictions said on Sunday that they wanted to return soon.

Legislators Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, who joined hundreds of demonstrators at the state house in Nashville four days after a school massacre, told NBC’s Meet the Press that they wanted to be reappointed by their districts to serve until special elections.

Democrats across protested their removal. This Friday, Vice President Kamala Harris visited Nashville to support Jones, Pearson, and Representative Gloria Johnson, who joined the gun control protest but was spared expulsion last week.

Tennessee law allows Nashville’s Metropolitan Council of Davidson County and Memphis’ Shelby County Board of Commissioners to designate temporary members for respective districts’ empty seats until a special election.

Metro Council Member Kevin Rhoten tweeted that he has received emails since Thursday encouraging him to vote to nominate Justin Jones to District 52. In addition, two Shelby County Board of Commissioners members have notified local media they intend to reappoint Pearson to District 86.

Pearson told NBC on Sunday that he would be proud to accept the Shelby County Commission job and run in a special election.

Jones stated he would accept reappointment and run in a special election.

The Republican-controlled House “attacks democracy,” Jones stated.

Nashville’s Metropolitan Council is expected to discuss the district vacancy Monday. However, Nashville Vice Mayor Jim Shulman told Reuters that if the council rules are suspended, a vote may be made after that meeting, and Jones could return.

On Sunday, Shelby County Board of Commissioners Chairman Mickell Lowery set a Wednesday special meeting to discuss reappointing Pearson.

When Nashville Covenant School shooter Audrey Hale killed three 9-year-old kids and three staff members on March 27, hundreds of protesters swarmed the Tennessee statehouse on March 30 to demand tighter gun restrictions. Reps Jones and Pearson, two Black MPs, shouted “No action, no peace!” via a bullhorn on the House floor in Twitter videos.

Republicans argued in resolutions asking for their expulsion that they and Johnson “did knowingly and willfully cause chaos and humiliation to the House of Representatives via their individual and collective acts.” Democrats protested under their First Amendment rights.

Jones and Pearson were expelled Thursday by party lines.

Race was discussed during the pre-vote discussion. Jones, a Black Republican Congressman, stated Gino Bulso, a white Republican, called him an “uppity Black.” Sarbjeet Kumar, a Republican in the chamber, said Jones perceived everything through race. Black and other Democrats joined Jones at the platform during the voting. White Republicans dominate.

Pearson and Jones say their expulsion is the latest example of the predominantly white, primarily Republican state government silencing communities of color.

Two ex-lawmakers spoke at Easter services on Sunday. Pearson preached at Memphis’ Church on the River about his and Jones’ innocence and pledged to criticize the Republican-led chamber.

“The Republican-led supermajority of the Tennessee General Assembly tried to have a political lynching of three of its members because we spoke out of turn against the status quo of the government following the terrible deaths of six people,” Pearson told the crowd.

He roused the gathering and elicited applause.

Jones spoke at Nashville’s Watson Grove Church’s Easter service about resilience.

“It’s not over,” Jones replied. “We are in a resurrection…that will redeem the soul of the state and hopefully this nation.”

Two Tennessee state lawmakers have been removed since the Civil War: one in 1980 for seeking a bribe to obstruct legislation and another in 2016 for sexual misconduct. Both expulsions were overwhelmingly nonpartisan.