Memphis, Tennessee — The redrawing of Tennessee’s congressional map has transformed the political landscape in Memphis, casting uncertainty over the Democrats’ longstanding hold on a congressional seat in the city. Once a reliably Democratic stronghold, Memphis now finds its representation fractured among three congressional districts, complicating the primary races set for Thursday.
Four months ago, the primary contest was expected to focus on whether the city’s majority-Black electorate would support the incumbent Representative Steve Cohen, a 77-year-old white Democrat, or back Justin Pearson, a 31-year-old Black state representative challenging him. However, after the U.S. Supreme Court weakened key provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, Tennessee Republicans exercised their redistricting authority to reshape the districts. Cohen retired, the Ninth District split, and Pearson’s home was redrawn outside of its previous boundaries. Pearson is running to represent the new Ninth District but faces a strong challenge from State Senator London Lamar, a fellow Black Democrat.
The new districts stretch far eastward from Memphis, combining urban voters with conservative rural areas, which now gives Republicans a clear advantage statewide. Tennessee’s nine congressional districts are all considered solidly Republican under the altered map. Democrats complain the redistricting has diluted the Black vote in Memphis, amounting to disenfranchisement, a claim rejected by some Republicans who argue that Democrats cannot simultaneously claim to be silenced while mobilizing a backlash.
State Senator Brent Taylor, a Memphis Republican who has entered the Ninth District race with former President Donald Trump’s endorsement, emphasized the Republican-drawn map was designed to benefit his party. Other GOP candidates in the race include State Representative Todd Warner and Charlotte Bergmann, although neither responded to interview requests.
On the Democratic side, the contest between Pearson and Lamar highlights differing campaign approaches. Pearson has drawn national attention with endorsements from progressive figures such as Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and his activism following a highly publicized 2023 expulsion from the Tennessee legislature over gun law protests. Lamar, meanwhile, has focused on legislative effectiveness and strategic policymaking, echoing Cohen’s criticism of Pearson’s style.
Beyond Memphis, Democrats see potential opportunity in the Fifth Congressional District, which encompasses parts of Nashville and a section of Memphis. The district’s Republican incumbent, Representative Andy Ogles, faces criticism for controversial anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant statements and concerns about his campaign finances. Ogles is challenged in the Republican primary by Charlie Hatcher, a former state agriculture commissioner endorsed by outgoing Governor Bill Lee. The Democratic nominee is likely to be Chaz Molder, mayor of Columbia, Tennessee. Notably, both Hatcher and Molder have been redrawn out of the district but remain candidates.
The races underscore the challenges Democrats face in Tennessee after the redistricting process reshaped political boundaries to bolster Republican control, creating a more hostile environment for Democratic candidates in both Memphis and across the state.