Federal Court Upholds Tennessee's Republican‑Favored Congressional Map

A three‑judge federal panel ruled Thursday that Tennessee's newly drawn congressional map complies with the Constitution, rejecting claims that it was racially gerrymandered under the 14th Amendment. The court said the division of the majority‑Black Memphis district into three separate districts is "readily explainable by political motivations" rather than racial intent.

The map, created after the Supreme Court’s April ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, is expected to give Republicans a 9‑0 advantage in the state's U.S. House delegation, eliminating the previously existing majority‑Black seat that elected Democrat Steve Cohen. Plaintiffs were unable to demonstrate a discriminatory purpose, and the court denied a preliminary injunction seeking to block the plan.