Tennessee Legislature passes map splitting Memphis into three GOP districts; NAACP calls it industrial-scale voter dilution

The Tennessee Legislature passes a new congressional map on May 7, 2026, splitting Memphis and its majority-Black population among three Republican-leaning congressional districts, eliminating Rep. Steve Cohen's 9th Congressional District. The bill, HB7001, also repeals a 2010 state law that banned mid-decade redistricting. Speaker Cameron Sexton argues the Callais ruling means "redistricting should be color-blind." Dozens of protesters interrupt Senate and House committee hearings, chanting "Hands off our vote" and singing "We Shall Overcome," with state troopers removing demonstrators on multiple occasions. Brennan Center vice president Kareem Crayton testifies that splitting Memphis across three districts means "no single representative would have an incentive to show attention to the issues and concerns of people who live there." The NAACP calls the map "Black vote dilution at an industrial scale."