Good riddance to the loathsome Rep. Steve Cohen

Redistricting Bears Fruit With a Stunning Move From TN Dem

https://redstate.com/nick-arama/2026/05/15/steve-cohen-not-running-again-n2202363

By Nick Arama  | 1:25 PM on May 15, 2026 

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The redistricting battle being fought across the nation has caused a sea change, and now, it's having a notable effect in Tennessee. 

We saw Democratic lawmakers melting down a week ago over the changes, with state Rep. Justin Pearson (D-Memphis) getting into a disturbing exchange with a state trooper. The redistricting redrew a black majority district, the 9th district, which is currently represented by Democrat Rep. Steve Cohen (TN-09). Cohen is not black. He's held the seat for 19 years, since 2007. He's had black Republicans run against him. 

Now it looks like Cohen is giving up the ghost. He announced that he wouldn't be running again. 

Cohen said he was retiring from Congress and public life, "This is by far the most difficult moment I've had as an elected official," he said. He claimed the people "wanted me again." 

Cohen said he "considered" running in one of the newly-drawn districts, but he said they are "nothing like the ninth district that I've represented."But even in that, he couldn't make a simple statement without throwing a bit of a fit. 

He said he won’t run for reelection in his district, with a caveat: “If the courts will give two more years to that district … I will run for that office.”  

“I don’t want to quit. I’m not a quitter. But these districts were drawn to beat me.”

Translation? He knows he wouldn't win.

As some pointed out, he faced a challenge beyond the redistricting — from Justin Pearson. 

Here's what the redrawing of the maps looks like.

The congressional map divides Shelby County — which includes the majority-Black city of Memphis — among Districts 5, 8 and 9. 

The redistricting will potentially allow Republicans to pick up an extra seat in Congress by shifting District 9 — currently a majority-Democratic area — into a more Republican area and splitting Shelby County up into three districts.

 Losing Steve Cohen is the best thing anyone could do for that area, and maybe now they'll get some good representation for the people. But expect more actions like this coming as redistricting shakes out.