Tennessee Legislature passes map splitting state's lone Democratic district

Legislative Action on Redistricting

The Tennessee House and Senate on Thursday approved a new congressional map that divides the state's only majority-Black congressional district. The map targets the 9th congressional district, which is centered on the city of Memphis and is currently represented by Democrat Steve Cohen.

Under the new proposal, the 9th district will be split into three separate Republican-leaning constituencies. This process, often referred to as "cracking," involves dividing Shelby County—the home of majority-Black Memphis—into three different districts.

Procedural Changes

Before passing the new map, Tennessee lawmakers first voted to repeal a 56-year-old prohibition on mid-decade redistricting. This repeal was a necessary legal step to allow the legislature to move forward with the new proposal.

According to reports, the proposal for the new map was released on Wednesday. The swift passage of the map followed the legislative move to overturn the ban on mid-decade redistricting.

Impact on Representation

The approved map threatens the position of Rep. Steve Cohen, who is the lone Democrat in Tennessee's nine-member congressional delegation. By carving up the Memphis-based district, the map aims to eliminate the state's only remaining Democratic-held seat.

Beyond the 9th district, the redistricting is expected to create a "ripple effect" of alterations to other congressional districts throughout the central and western portions of the state.