Full Breakdown
Tennessee Republicans Advance Controversial Redistricting Plan That Splits Memphis’ Majority-Black District
5/8/2026, 12:04:58 AM
Redistricting Proposal and Legislative Action
On May 6, 2026 the Tennessee General Assembly approved a congressional map that divides the state’s only majority-Black district—centered on Memphis—into three separate districts. The plan stretches the former 9th district nearly 300 miles, linking Memphis to the outskirts of Nashville. To enact the map, lawmakers first repealed a half-century ban on mid-decade redistricting and limited public comment on the repeal. The special session was called by Gov. Bill Lee after a phone call from President Donald Trump urging states to redraw maps before the 2026 midterm elections.
Background and Legal Context
The effort follows a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that limited the use of race in redistricting, overturning a precedent that protected majority-Black districts under the Voting Rights Act. Prior to the decision, Tennessee’s 9th district was preserved because of that protection. The Court’s opinion, cited by Republican leaders, frames redistricting as “color-blind” and opens the door for partisan-driven maps.
Key Figures and Groups
- Gov. Bill Lee (R) – called the special session.
- House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R) and Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R) – authored the redistricting package.
- Rep. Steve Cohen (D) – incumbent of the 9th district.
- Rep. Justin J. Pearson (D-Memphis) and Rep. Justin Pearson (D-86) – vocal opponents.
- Sen. London Lamar (D) and Sen. Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis) – led floor protests.
- Martin Luther King III – sent a letter warning of “Jim Crow” implications.
- Tennessee Coalition for Open Government (TCOG) – criticized the removal of voter-notice requirements.
Data and Statistics
- The 9th district is 61 % Black.
- Tennessee has nine congressional districts; Republicans hold super-majorities in both chambers.
- The new map would create three districts containing portions of Memphis, each paired with predominantly white, rural areas.
- Primary elections are scheduled for Aug 6, 2026.
- The repeal eliminates a law that required mailed and newspaper notices when polling places change; the new rule permits only website postings.
Official Statements & Responses
Republican leaders framed the plan as a modernization that reflects the state’s “conservative” electorate and reduces legal risk after the Supreme Court’s “color-blind” ruling. Gov. Lee and Speaker Sexton emphasized that the map aligns districts with “population and politics, not race.” Democratic leaders described the session as an “abomination” that attacks Black political power and violates longstanding civil-rights protections.
Criticism and Opposition
Democratic lawmakers and civil-rights groups called the proposal a “racist” attempt to silence Black voters. Sen. Lamar warned it would “erase the vote of my city and Black people in Memphis.” Sen. Akbari said the change “cannot be called anything but racism.” Martin Luther King III urged legislators to “not dismantle the only Congressional district that provides Black voters in Memphis a fair opportunity to have a voice.”
On-the-Ground Reports
Hundreds of protesters gathered at the state Capitol, chanting “shame” and “hands off our vote.” Rep. Justin J. Pearson led a march up the Capitol steps, while Rep. Justin Jones presented a Confederate-flag paper to Majority Leader William Lamberth. The chamber’s debate was repeatedly interrupted by chants such as “Memphis is Black!”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Republicans assert the map is drawn solely on population data and partisan balance. Democrats counter that the split of a 61 % Black district into three districts is a clear racial gerrymander. The removal of mandatory mailed voter notices creates uncertainty about how many voters will be informed of new precincts. No final legal challenge has yet been filed, leaving the map’s constitutionality unresolved.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Black bodies lay in rivers and in fields all across this country because they dared to speak out for representation and the right to vote,” — Sen. London Lamar (D)
- “There’s no way to sugarcoat eliminating a district that is 61% Black and breaking it up into three different districts. You are deliberately trying to silence the voices of a community. You cannot call it anything but racism.” — Sen. Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis)
- “The Supreme Court has opined that redistricting, like the judicial system, should be color-blind. The decision indicated states like Tennessee can redistrict based on partisan politics,” — House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R)
- “When polling places or precincts are changed, more effort should be made to reach affected voters, not less,” — Deborah Fisher, Executive Director, Tennessee Coalition for Open Government
- “Mid-decade redistricting is new but attempts to take away the voting rights of Black people is not new,” — Rep. Justin J. Pearson (D-Memphis)
- “MAGA Republicans are taking a blowtorch to Black representation in the American South.” — Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
What’s Next
The revised map will be used for the Aug 6 primary, after which legal challenges are expected from Democratic candidates and civil-rights groups. The Tennessee legislature may face additional scrutiny as other Southern states pursue similar mid-decade redistricting plans prompted by the Supreme Court’s ruling.
