Trending Now - Rep. Steve Cohen Concludes Re-election Effort Amid Redistricting
WHO:
NBC News - Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn.
Fox News - Steve Cohen, Democratic congressman.
WHAT:
The Guardian - Cohen stated, "I don’t want to quit. I’m not a quitter. But these districts were drawn to beat me."
The Guardian - Cohen is challenging the state’s redistricting effort in court and indicated he would re-enter the race if that lawsuit succeeded in restoring his old congressional district.
The Guardian - Cohen warned that Tennessee could shift to an entirely Republican congressional delegation after the next election.
The Guardian - Cohen described the redistricting as part of Trump's strategy to hold on to a slim majority in the November midterm elections.
The Guardian - Cohen mentioned he has been a longtime member of the House judiciary committee and has focused on strengthening voting access and civil rights.
NBC News - Cohen stated, "This morning, I announced my decision not to run in any of the three gerrymandered congressional districts carved out of the 9th District that I have represented for more than 19 years."
NPR - The new congressional maps split Memphis into three districts, with the majority Black, majority Democratic population now constituting a minority in all three districts.
NBC News - Cohen announced he will not be running for re-election.
Fox News - Cohen signed a document requesting not to be included on the ballot in Tennessee's 9th Congressional District.
Fox News - Cohen has served in Congress for over 19 years.
WHERE:
NBC News - Memphis-based district in Tennessee.
Fox News - Tennessee's 9th Congressional District.
WHEN:
Fox News - The Democratic primary in the district is scheduled to take place in August.
WHY:
The Guardian - Tennessee was the first state to pass new congressional districts after a Supreme Court ruling that significantly weakened federal Voting Rights Act protections for minorities.
The Guardian - Cohen predicted it would be nearly impossible for Tennessee Democrats to win a seat in Congress with the new districts.
NPR - The redistricting is described as a response to a Supreme Court decision that weakened a part of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 relating to racial discrimination.
NBC News - Cohen cited redistricting that "carved up" his district as a reason for his decision.
NBC News - Cohen stated that Tennessee Republicans "silenced the Black vote here in Memphis" to facilitate Republican victories.
HOW:
The Guardian - Cohen expressed concern that the redistricting effort could "backfire on the Republicans" but would require an "unbelievable registration effort among Democrats" and a massive vote turnout effort.
NPR - The new districts now stretch from Memphis into the Nashville suburbs, creating unique geographic and cultural challenges for voters and candidates.
NBC News - The redistricting was described as a "gerrymandered" effort by Tennessee Republicans.
(UPDATED May 16, 2026 01:29 UTC)
Cohen is challenging Tennessee's new congressional districts in court, asserting that they were drawn to defeat him, and he plans to re-enter the race if his lawsuit succeeds in restoring his previous district. He warned that if the current redistricting stands, Tennessee could end up with an entirely Republican congressional delegation after the next election, which he believes is part of Trump's strategy to maintain a slim majority in the upcoming midterms. Cohen, a longtime member of the House judiciary committee focused on voting access and civil rights, emphasized that Democrats would need an extraordinary registration and turnout effort to counter the Republicans' advantage.
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(UPDATED May 15, 2026 19:23 UTC)
Cohen announced that he will not run in any of the three newly drawn congressional districts that have emerged from the 9th District he has represented for over 19 years. The new maps split Memphis into three districts, which has resulted in a majority Black, majority Democratic population now becoming a minority in all three areas, a change linked to a recent Supreme Court decision affecting the Voting Rights Act of 1965. These districts extend from Memphis into the Nashville suburbs, presenting unique geographic and cultural challenges for both voters and candidates.
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(UPDATED May 15, 2026 17:26 UTC)
Democratic Congressman Steve Cohen has announced that he will not be running for re-election in Tennessee's 9th Congressional District, where he has served for over 19 years. He signed a document requesting not to be included on the ballot, citing redistricting that he claims has "carved up" his district and silenced the Black vote in Memphis to benefit Republican candidates. The Democratic primary in the district is set to take place in August.