Hundreds march as Tennessee takes up Trump's redistricting call

Key Points:

• Hundreds of protesters gathered at Tennessee’s capitol as lawmakers began a special session to consider redistricting Memphis’s Democratic stronghold into Republican-leaning districts, following a call from President Trump to increase GOP congressional seats.
• The special session, called by Republican Gov. Bill Lee after a conversation with Trump, will have only three days to complete the redistricting process, which typically takes months, and GOP leaders blocked efforts for public feedback and transparency.
• Republicans must first overturn a 50-year-old state law banning mid-decade redistricting, with proposed bills also addressing election rules for 2026, including allowing candidates to run in districts where they do not reside.
• Democratic leaders and Black organizers, including Rep. Justin J. Pearson, condemned the effort as a threat to Black voting rights, highlighting historical voter suppression and urging resistance against what they see as an attempt to dilute Black political power.
• Some Republicans, including Memphis representatives and newer legislators, have expressed caution about the timing and fairness of the redistricting, calling for a more proportional approach to reflect recent election results; hearings on the new maps are scheduled to begin Wednesday.