Steve Cohen Ends Re-election Bid Amid Redistricting Changes
Representative Steve Cohen has announced he will not seek re-election after serving for over 19 years, coinciding with the Republican-led redistricting efforts as the November midterm elections approach.
Cohen, a Democrat from Tennessee, shared his decision on Friday, following the state Republicans’ approval of new maps that significantly altered his majority-Black Memphis district.
First elected in 2007, Cohen expressed his fears that Tennessee’s congressional representation could become predominantly Republican after the upcoming election. He had also filed a lawsuit on May 7, contesting the redistricting plans.
“I don’t want to quit. I’m not a quitter. But these districts were drawn to beat me,” Cohen remarked during a news conference in his Washington, D.C. office.
Despite this setback, Cohen indicated that he would reenter the race if the court reinstates his original district. He stated, “If the courts restore the current 9th until 2028, I’ll remain a candidate, though that’s unlikely.”
Tennessee was the first state to adopt new congressional maps after a Supreme Court ruling last month. It appears more Southern states, including Louisiana, Alabama, and South Carolina, are anticipated to initiate similar redistricting efforts.
Cohen has been a representative of his Memphis-based district for nearly two decades and is one of the few remaining White Democrats in the South.
“It’s unique in America that an African-American majority district has elected a White guy, and that we’ve got a great relationship, a great amount of support,” Cohen mentioned at one point.
Claiming his departure was influenced by the current political climate, Cohen attributed the redistricting to Donald Trump’s aim to secure additional votes to prevent impeachment. He has consistently opposed the former president.
However, Tennessee Republicans have rejected Cohen’s assertions, stating that the newly drawn district lines comply with legal standards and aim to provide more effective geographic representation for the state’s residents.
