Rep. Steve Cohen Ends Reelection Bid After Tennessee Redistricting

Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee announced Friday that he will not seek reelection in the state’s ninth congressional district, a seat he has held since 2007. The decision follows a recent redistricting effort by Tennessee’s Republican-controlled legislature that divided Cohen’s Memphis-based, majority-Black district into three parts, each leaning more Republican.

“This morning, I announced my decision not to run in any of the three gerrymandered congressional districts carved out of the 9th District that I have represented for more than 19 years,” Cohen said in a statement. He added, “Last week Tennessee Republicans silenced the Black vote here in Memphis to make Republican victories likely.”

Cohen, 76, who is Tennessee’s only Democrat in Congress and the first Jewish person elected to represent the state, described the moment as “by far the most difficult” of his political career. He said he considered running in one of the new districts but found them “nothing like the ninth district that I’ve represented.”

The redistricting plan, enacted last week by the GOP-led state legislature and Governor Bill Lee, came shortly after the Supreme Court’s decision in Callais v. Louisiana, which limited the use of race in drawing congressional districts and weakened parts of the Voting Rights Act. This has led to similar redistricting efforts across the South that reduce the number of majority-Black, Democratic-held seats.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries praised Cohen’s career, noting his leadership on civil rights issues, including passage of a resolution issuing the first formal apology for slavery in the U.S. Jeffries said, “The city of Memphis, the Congress and the nation are better because of Steve’s commitment to making a difference.”

Cohen has served on key committees such as the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the House Judiciary Committee, and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, focusing on civil rights and policing reform.

Cohen’s retirement marks the 59th by a sitting House member this election cycle, the second-highest total since 1930, according to NBC News analysis. He also indicated he might reconsider his decision if Democrats succeed in legal challenges against Tennessee’s new map, stating, “We are still fighting, and if we prevail in the courts and the 9th District remains intact, I will remain a candidate and be proud to represent you for another two years.”

Cohen was facing a primary challenge from Tennessee state Rep. Justin Pearson, a nationally known member of the “Tennessee Three,” who protested gun violence on the state House floor in 2023 and was temporarily expelled before being reinstated. Pearson has not withdrawn from the race following the redistricting changes.