A federal judge on Thursday denied a motion by several Tennessee Democrats for a temporary restraining order and injunction in their lawsuit over the state’s newly drawn Congressional districts.
A hearing set for May 20 is now canceled, according to an order by Chief U.S. District Court Judge William L. Campbell Jr. of the Middle District of Tennessee.
The lawsuit was filed last Friday by plaintiffs, including sitting 9th District Rep. Steve Cohen, state Rep. Justin J. Pearson, and the Tennessee Democratic Party. Defendants include Gov. Bill Lee, Secretary of State Tre Hargett, and Elections Coordinator Mark Goins.
The Tennessee State House and Senate approved new congressional mapping legislation last Thursday, amidst loud and angry protests from activists and some Democratic leaders in the legislature.
The new map divided the racially constructed 9th Congressional District, currently held by a Democrat, into three congressional districts that stretch into majority Republican counties in west and middle Tennessee.
Democrats have claimed the move will dilute Black votes in Memphis and lead to Republican representation in what had been the state’s only House district held by a Democrat. For the past 20 years that Democrat has been a white man, Steve Cohen.
The redistricting efforts in Tennessee follow the ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court in Louisiana v. Callais which declared that racially drawn political districts are unconstitutional.
Steve Gill is Editor and Publisher of TriStar Daily.
