Tennessee’s legislature, dominated by Republicans, approved a new congressional map on Thursday. This map effectively dissolves the state’s majority-Black district, potentially ensuring an all-Republican federal delegation.
This redistricting effort follows a recent Supreme Court decision that weakened Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, allowing states to dismantle blue districts designed to protect minority voting power. Southern states led by Republicans are quickly adopting new maps in response.
The newly drawn map is designed to unseat the state’s sole Democratic congressional representative, Rep. Steve Cohen, by dividing the majority-Black Shelby County in his Memphis-area district. Additionally, it splits Maury County, potentially creating a more favorable district for Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), who is on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s target list.
In a social media post, Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton stated, “The Supreme Court has opined that redistricting, like the judicial system, should be color-blind. The decision indicated states can redistrict based off partisan politics.”
Governor Bill Lee, a Republican, is expected to sign this map into law shortly. He convened the legislature in a special session last week to ensure the map’s passage.
“We owe it to Tennesseans to ensure our congressional districts accurately reflect the will of Tennessee voters,” Lee said in a statement Friday. “After consultation with the Lt. Governor, Speaker of the House, Attorney General, and Secretary of State, I believe the General Assembly has a responsibility to review the map and ensure it remains fair, legal, and defensible.”
With this move, Tennessee becomes the first state to finalize a new congressional map following the Supreme Court’s recent ruling. Louisiana’s Republican-led legislature is anticipated to present a new map soon, and similar efforts are underway in South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, and Alabama.
Andrew Howard contributed to this report.
