Tennessee Democrat ends re-election bid after map redrawing carves up his district

Key Points:

• Democratic Representative Steve Cohen of Tennessee announced he is ending his re-election bid due to redistricting that dismantled his majority-Black district, a move he says was designed to defeat him politically.
• Tennessee Republicans redrew the congressional map to favor the GOP, part of a broader strategy linked to Donald Trump’s efforts to maintain a slim House majority in the upcoming midterms.
• Cohen is challenging the redistricting in court and may re-enter the race if the original district boundaries are restored, warning that Tennessee could become entirely Republican and lose influence when Democrats regain the White House.
• Cohen, who has represented Memphis for about 20 years and is known for his civil rights advocacy, expressed concern that the redistricting will silence Memphis voters and diminish Democratic representation in the state.
• Despite ending his campaign, Cohen pledged to use his remaining time in Congress to oppose Trump, whom he called the greatest threat to democracy, while House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries praised Cohen’s civil rights leadership.