The Tennessee House of Representatives approved a new redistricting proposal in a special session after the U.S. Supreme Court ended racial manipulation in the design of state electoral maps for Congress.
The proposal will divide the Democratic-controlled district of Memphis into different electoral districts, likely eliminating the state's only Democratic seat in Congress. The final House vote was 64 to 24, with Republican representatives John Gillespie and Mark White, both from Memphis, voting
alongside the opponents.
Democrats called the measure a “very serious setback of rights” for black residents of Tennessee and called the redesign of the map “racist”, since the Memphis district has historically had a black majority. However, the Supreme Court ruled last week that race should not influence the design of a state's electoral map.
Thanks to this ruling, called Calais vs. Lousiana, Tennessee, like Alabama, has taken the step to draw new legislative districts, although the state Senate must first approve this measure and then the governor, Bill Lee, must sign the bill to sign it into law. Tennessee eliminated the last Democratic stronghold after the Court ruling that bans districts based on race
The focus on 'midterms'
Lee has already said that he supports the redesign initiative. “After consulting with the lieutenant governor, the Speaker of the House, the Attorney General and the Secretary of State, I believe that the General Assembly has a responsibility to review the map and ensure that it remains fair, legal and defensible,” the governor said in a statement released on May 2
.
With an eye on the mid-term elections of November 2026, the battle for redistricting between Republicans and Democrats to see who wins the most seats in Congress is still in full swing.
Democrats have been responsible for modifying electoral maps to annihilate Republican representation in states they control, such as California, Colorado and Virginia, among others. Republicans have made similar moves in Texas, Florida and North Carolina in response to this opposition offensive.
Tennessee eliminated the last Democratic stronghold after the Court ruling that bans districts based on race
