Federal Judges Allow New Tennessee Congressional Map that Splits Majority-Black District in Memphis
Federal judges found plaintiffs failed to prove racial motivation under current legal standards, allowing Tennessee's GOP-drawn map that could secure 9-0 Republican House seats.
- On Thursday, a three-judge panel unanimously allowed Tennessee to use its new Congressional map, rejecting efforts to block the plan before the Aug. 6 primary elections.
- Tennessee Republicans redrew districts in May, splitting the Memphis-based district into three parts to create a 9-0 map favoring Republican candidates in midterm elections.
- Attorney Taylor Meehan argued the map was drafted for politics, not racial motivation, while judges found plaintiffs lacked direct evidence of racial intent required to intervene.
- Memphis voter Amber Sherman called the ruling "painful," saying the map weakens Black voters' voices, while Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen announced he is ending his reelection bid.
- Judges cited the Purcell principle, noting federal courts should not alter election rules close to voting, as Republicans follow a strategy encouraged by President Donald Trump to win the House.
27 Articles
27 Articles
Federal Court Denies Bid to Block Tennessee’s Redrawn Congressional Map
A three-judge federal panel on July 23 declined to issue a preliminary injunction that would block Tennessee’s new congressional map, which splits a majority-black district into three congressional districts. Tennessee revised its congressional map in May following the Supreme Court’s ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, which limited the use of race in redistricting under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The new map splits the Democratic strongho…
Associated Press News
Federal judges allow new Tennessee congressional map that splits majority-Black district in Memphis
A federal judicial panel has allowed a new Tennessee congressional map that splits apart a majority-Black district in Memphis.
Federal Panel Allows Tennessee Congressional Map Poised to Give Republicans All Nine U.S. House Seats to Remain in Effect
In a decision released after early voting for primary elections already began, a panel of three federal judges on Thursday declined to block Tennessee's newly redrawn congressional map from taking effect before the 2026 midterm elections, finding the plaintiffs unlikely to succeed in proving their claim the Tennessee General Assembly used race to set boundaries during its redistricting process. The decision came in response to a request by Amer…
Federal court denies restraining order in ACLU lawsuit challenging Tennessee’s new congressional map
State Sen. London Lamar, a Memphis Democrat, holds a photo of the new U.S. House map passed by Tennessee Republicans during a special legislative session in May. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)A panel of federal judges on Thursday denied an injunction aiming to stop Tennessee’s redrawn congressional map — which splits majority-Black, majority-Democratic Memphis into three U.S. House districts — from going into effect before the August …
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