Why It Matters
Tennessee’s congressional map has claimed its first major political casualty. Rep. Steve Cohen, a Democrat who has represented a Memphis-area district for nearly two decades, announced Friday he will not seek re-election after a Republican-backed redistricting plan divided his majority-Black district into three separate congressional territories.
The retirement adds to a national pattern in which Southern states are redrawing district lines in ways that reduce the number of majority-Black, Democrat-held seats — a development that has alarmed Democratic lawmakers and civil rights advocates across the region.
What Happened
Republican lawmakers in the Tennessee state Legislature, with the signature of GOP Gov. Bill Lee, enacted a new congressional map that splits Cohen’s 9th District — which he described as majority-Black — across three separate districts. Cohen said Friday he would not compete in any of the three redrawn districts.
“Last week Tennessee Republicans silenced the Black vote here in Memphis to make Republican victories likely,” Cohen said in a public statement announcing his decision.
Cohen left open the possibility of reversing course, stating he would re-enter the race if courts strike down the new map and the original 9th District boundary is restored.
By the Numbers
- 19+ years: Length of Cohen’s tenure representing the Memphis-based district
- 3: Number of redrawn districts that now divide Cohen’s former territory
- 59: Total House member retirements announced this election cycle — the second-highest figure since 1930
- 1/3: Approximate share of Congressional Black Caucus members Democrats warn could lose seats due to the redistricting wave
Zoom Out
The Tennessee redistricting follows the Supreme Court’s ruling in Callais v. Louisiana, which limited how race can be factored into the drawing of congressional district lines and curtailed portions of the Voting Rights Act. In the aftermath of that decision, multiple Southern states have advanced new maps that consolidate or eliminate majority-Black districts.
Cohen’s district is one of several Democratic-held seats in the South now affected. The broader trend has drawn scrutiny over its potential effect on minority political representation at the federal level. Southern cities have also seen notable population growth in recent years, making the stakes of congressional mapping decisions in the region increasingly significant.
Cohen also faces a primary challenge from state Rep. Justin Pearson, a Memphis Democrat who gained national attention as part of the “Tennessee Three” — a trio of state lawmakers who were expelled from the state Legislature in 2023 after staging a protest against gun violence on the House floor. Pearson was subsequently reinstated to his seat and has not withdrawn from the congressional race.
What’s Next
Legal challenges to Tennessee’s new congressional map are expected, and Cohen has indicated those court proceedings will determine whether he re-enters the race. If the original 9th District is restored through litigation, Cohen said he would resume his campaign. Pearson, meanwhile, remains an active candidate regardless of how redistricting litigation unfolds.