Tennessee lawmakers have approved a new congressional map that is expected to strengthen Republican control in all nine of the state’s U.S. House districts ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
The bill passed Thursday and now heads to Republican Gov. Bill Lee, who is expected to quickly sign it into law.
Memphis District Split Across Three Seats
The biggest change in the new map involves Tennessee’s last majority-Black congressional district in Memphis. The current District 9, represented by Steve Cohen, will now be divided into three separate districts.
About 60% of voters in the current district are Black.
Republicans say the map better reflects Tennessee’s conservative voting trends, while Democrats argue it weakens Black voting power and targets the state’s last Democratic-held congressional seat.
“This map diminishes Memphis,” said Democratic state Sen. London Lamar during debate on the Senate floor.
“Racism doesn’t become less racist just because it’s called partisan,” she added.
Democrats Expected to Sue
Democrats are preparing legal challenges against the new districts, arguing the map changes were based on racial demographics and approved too close to the upcoming election cycle.
The redistricting push came after a recent Supreme Court of the United States ruling weakened protections under the Voting Rights Act. The April 29 decision removed requirements forcing states with histories of racial discrimination to maintain majority-minority districts.
Republican lawmakers argue the new maps are legal because they are based on political strategy rather than race.
“This is about allowing Tennessee to maximize its partisan advantage,” Republican state Sen. John Stevens said during debate.
Part of Larger National Redistricting Battle
Tennessee’s move is part of a growing national fight over congressional maps ahead of the 2026 elections. Both Republicans and Democrats in several states are trying to redraw districts to gain political advantages.
Supporters of the new Tennessee map say the state is overwhelmingly conservative and should have congressional districts that reflect that reality.
Critics argue the changes amount to racial and political gerrymandering.
Hundreds of protesters gathered at the Tennessee Capitol this week to oppose the plan. Activist Tequila Johnson of the Tennessee Equity Alliance accused lawmakers of targeting Black political influence.
“They don’t want to see us win, so they cheat,” Johnson said.
Election Changes and Candidate Deadlines
Lawmakers also repealed a previous state law that only allowed congressional maps to be redrawn once every 10 years after the census. Republicans had already redrawn districts in 2022, splitting Nashville’s Democratic voters in a similar way.
Under the new map, Tennessee could send an all-Republican congressional delegation to Washington next year.
Candidates now have until May 15 to qualify under the newly approved districts before the August primary election.
