Overview
- Cohen, who announced Friday he is suspending his campaign, said he will reenter the race only if courts restore the prior Memphis‑based 9th District.
- Republican lawmakers and Gov. Bill Lee enacted a new congressional map May 7 that divides Memphis and Shelby County into three districts instead of one city‑centered seat.
- Analysts say the redrawn 9th would have backed Donald Trump by 21 points in 2024, and ratings from Cook Political Report and Inside Elections now list the race as solidly Republican.
- Multiple lawsuits are underway, but a judge denied emergency relief Thursday, so the new lines govern candidate filings and Tennessee’s Aug. 6 primaries, with Friday as the filing deadline.
- State Rep. Justin Pearson remains a Democratic candidate, while Republicans Brent Taylor and Todd Warner are running, reflecting a rapid redistricting push after the Supreme Court’s Callais ruling narrowed federal voting‑rights remedies.