Tennessee Republicans have approved a new congressional map that eliminates the state’s only majority-Black U.S. House district, centered in Memphis. The revised map splits the district into multiple Republican-leaning districts, a move critics say dilutes Black voting power and reshapes political representation in the state.
Supporters of the plan argue the redistricting is a legal exercise in line with recent court rulings that weakened parts of the Voting Rights Act, allowing states more flexibility in drawing districts. Opponents, including civil rights groups and Democratic lawmakers, say the change is a deliberate effort to weaken minority representation and secure long-term partisan advantage.
The new map is expected to give Republicans a strong advantage in all nine of Tennessee’s congressional districts, further shifting the state’s political landscape. Legal challenges have already been filed, with groups like the NAACP seeking to block the map from taking effect ahead of upcoming elections.