TN's Steve Cohen drops reelection bid after GOP redraws his district

State lawmakers redrew their congressional maps in the wake of the Supreme Court's ruling in Louisiana v. Callais that narrowed Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and barred race-based congressional districts.

Published: May 15, 2026 11:44am

Updated: May 15, 2026 11:46am

Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., on Friday announced he would end his reelection bid after Republicans in the state redrew his Memphis-centered district.

State lawmakers redrew their congressional maps in the wake of the Supreme Court's ruling in Louisiana v. Callais that narrowed Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and barred race-based congressional districts.

Cohen cited the changes to his district boundaries in making the decision, Fox News reported.

The Louisiana ruling led to redraws across the South, including in that state, Tennessee, and Florida. Alabama and South Carolina are expected to advance altered maps in time for 2026.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.

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