NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed new congressional district maps into law Thursday, finalizing a controversial redistricting plan passed during a special legislative session. The plan is projected to give Republicans a strong opportunity to win all nine of the state’s U.S. House seats in the 2026 elections.
The new maps, approved by the Republican-controlled legislature on May 7, significantly redraw the boundaries of the 9th Congressional District, which has long been represented by Democrat Steve Cohen and encompasses the heavily Democratic and Black-majority city of Memphis. Under the new configuration, Memphis is split across three separate districts, diluting the concentration of Democratic voters.
Democrats reacted with outrage during the legislative process. State Rep. Justin Pearson was involved in a heated confrontation with state troopers after loudly protesting what he described as the dismantling of the state’s only Black-majority district.
Republican leaders dismissed the Democratic protests, pointing out that both parties engage in aggressive gerrymandering when they hold power in state legislatures. They argued that the maps reflect legitimate efforts to account for population shifts and comply with legal standards.
The timing of the redistricting follows a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that limited the use of the Voting Rights Act to challenge certain redistricting maps, removing a key legal tool previously available to opponents of such plans. Tennessee becomes the first state to enact new congressional maps in the wake of that decision.
Legal challenges to the new Tennessee maps are widely expected, with Democrats and voting rights groups likely to contest the changes in federal court. Supporters maintain that the maps are legally sound and reflect the state’s overall political leanings, where Republicans have dominated statewide elections in recent years.
Governor Lee’s office has not issued extensive public comments beyond confirming the signing, while GOP lawmakers celebrated the move as protecting Tennessee’s conservative values in Washington.
The maps will take effect for the 2026 midterm elections, potentially transforming Tennessee’s congressional delegation from its current 8-1 Republican advantage into a full Republican sweep.
