Tennessee enacts new US House map carving up majority-Black district in Memphis

Tennessee Republicans approved a new U.S. House map on Thursday that fragments the state’s only majority-Black district in Memphis, reshaping it to benefit the GOP. The final vote in the state Senate occurred amid protests, with Democratic Sen. Charlane Oliver standing on her desk to denounce the redistricting as a discriminatory “Jim Crow” effort. Republican Gov. Bill Lee signed the map into law shortly after, despite disruptions from protesters in the galleries and hallways who chanted, blew air horns, and were held back by state troopers. The NAACP Tennessee State Conference filed a lawsuit in state court shortly after the map’s passage, arguing that mid-decade redistricting violates state law. Tennessee became the first state to redraw congressional districts following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last week that weakened federal Voting Rights Act protections for minority voters. The decision, which criticized Louisiana for relying too heavily on race in creating a Black-majority district, has given Republicans legal cover to eliminate such districts, which have historically elected Democrats. Louisiana postponed its congressional primary to allow lawmakers time to redraw its map, while Alabama’s legislature is considering legislation that could upend its primaries if courts approve new districts. South Carolina’s Republican-led House released a proposed map designed to secure all of the state’s House seats. These moves are part of a broader national redistricting battle, with Tennessee being the ninth state to redraw its districts since Texas led the effort last year. Republicans aim to gain up to 14 seats nationally, while Democrats counter that they could gain 10, though competitive races may limit either party’s success. As part of the process, Tennessee lawmakers repealed a state law banning mid-decade redistricting and extended candidate qualifying until May 15 to accommodate shifts in districts. The new map effectively dismantles the state’s lone Democratic-held district, centered in Memphis, a move critics say dilutes Black voting power. The redistricting efforts across Southern states reflect a strategic push by Republicans to solidify control ahead of the November midterm elections, leveraging weakened federal oversight to reshape political landscapes in their favor.