Overview
- A federal judge in Tennessee denied Democrats’ bid for a temporary freeze Thursday, letting the new Republican-drawn congressional map move ahead for now.
- Democratic plaintiffs, including Rep. Steve Cohen and state Rep. Justin Pearson, argue the mid-session map upended plans set after the candidate filing deadline and dismantles a Black-led district.
- Separate lawsuits in another federal case and in Davidson County Chancery Court are still seeking to block the Tennessee lines before voting begins.
- In Florida, voting-rights groups sued under the 2010 amendment that forbids partisan maps, saying the plan could flip up to four seats and splits Tampa into three districts, with a judge set to hear arguments as the state says there is scant proof of partisan intent.
- These fights are part of a mid-decade redistricting push after a Supreme Court ruling narrowed federal voting-rights protections, making state constitutions the key venue for partisan gerrymandering claims ahead of the 2026 elections.