In a controversial move, Tennessee’s Republican-controlled legislature has approved a new congressional map that dismantles the state’s sole Black-majority district, splitting Memphis into three predominantly GOP-leaning seats. The map, signed into law by Governor Bill Lee in early May, comes just over a week after the U.S. Supreme Court weakened key protections of the Voting Rights Act against racial gerrymandering.
The redrawn boundaries break up the 9th Congressional District, represented by Democrat Steve Cohen since 2007, and distribute its voters across three districts that extend far eastward into rural, Republican-dominated areas. Nashville, another Democratic stronghold, is also fragmented into five separate districts under the plan. Republicans now aim to win all nine of Tennessee’s U.S. House seats, effectively erasing the state’s last congressional district that had a majority Black population.
Democratic lawmakers protested the move on the chamber floor, with Senator London Lamar invoking the historical struggle for voting rights, stating that Black Americans endured great sacrifices for representation and the right to vote. State Representative Justin Jones even handed a printed Confederate flag to Republican Majority Leader William Lamberth as a form of protest. Republican sponsor Senator John Stevens defended the map, arguing that Tennessee is a conservative state and its congressional delegation should reflect that. However, Democrats countered that the census data cited by Republicans does not include partisan information, undermining the justification.
Tennessee is the ninth state to adopt a new congressional map ahead of the November midterms, part of an unusually active mid-decade redistricting wave. This effort began after former President Donald Trump urged Republican-led states to redraw lines to protect the party’s slim House majority. Other states like Louisiana and Alabama are also moving to follow suit after the Supreme Court’s recent ruling. Nationwide, Republicans could gain up to 14 seats through this campaign, though several maps face ongoing legal challenges. The 2026 midterm elections are closely watched by the crypto industry as a potential turning point for digital asset policy in Washington.