Key Takeaways
- • Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Memphis) announced Friday, May 15, 2026, that he will not seek reelection in any of the three congressional districts that replaced Tennessee's 9th District, which he has represented for more than 19 years.
- • Tennessee's General Assembly divided the majority-Black 9th District into three Republican-leaning districts, and Gov. Bill Lee signed the redistricting legislation into law on May 7.
- • The new map reduces the African American voting share in the Memphis-area district from just over 60% to roughly 30%, 29% and 29% across the three districts.
- • Cohen will remain a candidate only if pending court cases restore the 9th District's current boundaries through 2028, a outcome he described as unlikely.
Summary
Rep. Steve Cohen announced Friday that he will not run for reelection in any of the three congressional districts created under Tennessee's new congressional map, ending his campaign for the seat he has held for more than 19 years. The announcement, made in a statement at a press conference at his Washington office, followed the redrawing of Tennessee's 9th Congressional District. The General Assembly divided Cohen's majority-Black district into three Republican-leaning districts the previous week, and Gov. Bill Lee signed the legislation into law on May 7, according to WBBJ-TV.
According to WBBJ-TV, the new map would reduce the African American voting share in the current Memphis-area district from a little over 60% to three districts averaging about 30%, 29% and 29%. Cohen said he would remain a candidate only if pending court cases restore the 9th District to its current boundaries through 2028, though he acknowledged that outcome appears unlikely. In his statement, he said, "The state General Assembly last week diluted the Black vote in thirds to make Republican victories likely."
Cohen cited 47 years of public service representing Memphis, including time at the state Constitutional Convention, the Shelby County Commission, 24 years in the state Senate and more than 19 years in Congress. He pointed to his role in creating the Regional Medical Center at Memphis, now Regional One, the state lottery and Hope scholarships, and securing more than $393 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation to replace the Interstate 55 bridge. He also noted that the Center for Effective Lawmaking, a project of the University of Virginia and Vanderbilt University, ranked him the fifth most effective legislator in the 118th Congress. Cohen chaired the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and was the first to introduce complete Articles of Impeachment against Donald Trump.
Coverage from other outlets, including reports that Cohen would not seek reelection in the 2026 midterms, is consistent with the WBBJ-TV account.
According to WBBJ-TV, the new map would reduce the African American voting share in the current Memphis-area district from a little over 60% to three districts averaging about 30%, 29% and 29%. Cohen said he would remain a candidate only if pending court cases restore the 9th District to its current boundaries through 2028, though he acknowledged that outcome appears unlikely. In his statement, he said, "The state General Assembly last week diluted the Black vote in thirds to make Republican victories likely."
Cohen cited 47 years of public service representing Memphis, including time at the state Constitutional Convention, the Shelby County Commission, 24 years in the state Senate and more than 19 years in Congress. He pointed to his role in creating the Regional Medical Center at Memphis, now Regional One, the state lottery and Hope scholarships, and securing more than $393 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation to replace the Interstate 55 bridge. He also noted that the Center for Effective Lawmaking, a project of the University of Virginia and Vanderbilt University, ranked him the fifth most effective legislator in the 118th Congress. Cohen chaired the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and was the first to introduce complete Articles of Impeachment against Donald Trump.
Coverage from other outlets, including reports that Cohen would not seek reelection in the 2026 midterms, is consistent with the WBBJ-TV account.
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