Headline Roundup • May 7th, 2026
Tennessee Eliminates Only Democratic District With New Voting Map
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Tennessee lawmakers passed a redistricting map that will eliminate the state's only Democratic district on Thursday.
The Details: After the Supreme Court's ruling on the Voting Rights Act to prevent states from considering race when drawing district maps, Gov. Bill Lee called a special legislative session to review a new map presented by Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN). The new map could give Republicans a 9-0 majority in sending politicians to the House of Representatives.
Key Quotes: Fox News (Right bias) highlighted statements from Lee, Blackburn, and President Donald Trump on Tennessee's plans. Blackburn wrote on X, "I urge our state legislature to reconvene to redistrict another Republican seat in Memphis. It's essential to cement @realDonaldTrump's agenda and the Golden Age of America." Trump wrote on Truth Social the week prior, "I had a very good conversation with Governor Bill Lee, of Tennessee, this morning, wherein he stated that he would work hard to correct the unconstitutional flaw in the Congressional Maps of the Great State of Tennessee… This should give us one extra seat, and help Save our Country from the Radical Left Democrats."
Memphis Redistricting: Notably, Memphis, which previously sat in the state's only majority-black and Democratic-represented district, will split into three districts that also include rural areas outside the city and wealthy counties outside of Memphis. According to Straight Arrow News (Center), Democrats say that "the proposal is designed to dismantle Black voting power in Memphis." Straight Arrow News quoted State Rep. Justin Pearson, who said, "What is deeply disturbing is that they have made a map to allow for one particular candidate that they want to win who has spewed racism and hate all across this state, particularly in Memphis."
How Will It Affect Midterms? Tennessee Lookout (Lean Left) reported that there are some warnings that the new map could "endanger the election's integrity." This is because previously qualified candidates for the US Congressional election will have only one week to qualify for new districts or withdraw from the race. Furthermore, though previous Tennessee laws required voters to be notified by mail about district changes, this bill allows changes to only be posted on the commission's website.
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Featured Coverage of this Story
A bill to restructure rules for Tennessee's 2026 U.S. congressional house elections advanced in key committees Wednesday, despite warnings that the changes could endanger the election's integrity.
Should the Tennessee General Assembly pass new district maps before Friday, candidates for U.S. congressional house seats would have until May 15 — one week — to qualify for new districts or bow out of the race, according to the bill.
Fox News Digital
Tennessee's redistricting special legislative session Tuesday will weigh a map that will potentially turn the state's lone blue district red before the 2026 midterms.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, who is term-limited and leaving office after this year, moved quickly to call the special session after a conversation last week with President Donald Trump on the heels of the landmark Supreme Court decision that found race should not be used to dictate the drawing of legislative district maps.
Tennessee Republicans are set to vote Thursday on a new congressional map that would carve up Memphis and likely hand the GOP all nine of the state's House seats. It's a rapid redistricting push launched just days after the Supreme Court weakened part of the Voting Rights Act.
The proposal released Wednesday would split Shelby County into three congressional districts and redraw the state's only majority-Black district, currently represented by Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen of Memphis. Republican leaders expect the map to clear the legislature quickly, according to The New...
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