President Donald Trump has also called for Tennessee to redraw its congressional map.
The Tennessee state legislature is meeting on May 5 in a special session to redraw the state’s congressional map following a Supreme Court ruling that restricted a key provision of the Voting Rights Act.
The Volunteer State will look to add a Republican-leaning district by redrawing the 9th Congressional District, which includes Memphis and is represented by Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.). It is currently the state’s lone Democratic seat.
The special session follows the Supreme Court’s ruling in Louisiana v. Callais on April 29 that race may not be used as the primary reason for drawing electoral district lines. The ruling nullified a majority-black congressional district in the state.
On May 1, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee announced plans for the special session.
“We owe it to Tennesseans to ensure our congressional districts accurately reflect the will of Tennessee voters,” he said in statement.
“After consultation with the Lt. Governor, Speaker of the House, Attorney General, and Secretary of State, I believe the General Assembly has a responsibility to review the map and ensure it remains fair, legal, and defensible.”
Members of Tennessee’s congressional delegation have called for the state to redraw its congressional lines despite the state’s candidate-filing deadline having already passed.
“I urge our state legislature to reconvene to redistrict another Republican seat in Memphis. It’s essential to cement @realDonaldTrump’s agenda and the Golden Age of America,” Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), who is running for governor, posted on X on April 29.
“I’ve vowed to keep Tennessee a red state, and as governor, I’ll do everything I can to make this map a reality.”
“The South has an opportunity to redraw their maps, according to the will of the governor and the legislative bodies, which is, I think, what Tennessee is looking at doing,” Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) previously told The Epoch Times.
President Donald Trump has also called for Tennessee to redraw its congressional map.
“I had a very good conversation with Governor Bill Lee, of Tennessee, this morning, wherein he stated that he would work hard to correct the unconstitutional flaw in the Congressional Maps of the Great State of Tennessee,” Trump wrote Thursday on Truth Social, a day after Blackburn’s post and a day before Lee’s special session announcement.
