Sen. Marsha Blackburn's TN redistricting map would split this Memphis seat

• U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, a Tennessee gubernatorial candidate, has proposed redistricting Memphis to create an additional Republican congressional seat.
• Blackburn's call for redistricting comes after a Supreme Court decision struck down a Louisiana congressional map designed to protect Black voters' power.
• The goal of the proposed redistricting is to help Republicans secure their majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.

U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, a candidate for Tennessee governor, wants a special legislative session in order to redistrict Memphis and gain another Republican seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

On April 29, shortly after the Supreme Court struck down a congressional map in Louisiana that had been drawn to protect the voting power of Black residents, Blackburn took to social media to share her proposed congressional map for Tennessee.

“I urge our state legislature to reconvene to redistrict another Republican seat in Memphis,” Blackburn wrote in an April 29 X post, emphasizing the importance to “cement” President Donald Trump’s “agenda and the Golden Age of America.” 

Here's why Blackburn is targeting the state's only Democratic district.

Sen. Marsha Blackburn's push for Tennessee redistricting

In her Wednesday Post, Blackburn shared a congressional map that split the 8th and 9th districts to ensure Republican seats ahead of the upcoming midterm and gubernatorial elections.

“I’ve vowed to keep Tennessee a red state, and as Governor, I’ll do everything I can to make this map a reality,” she wrote in her post. 

The seat is currently held by Democrat Steve Cohen, who has held his position since 2007. Redistricting usually takes place every 10 years after the Census. If the state were to follow through with this, it would be the second redistricting done in this decade.

In 2022, Davidson County, a longstanding Democratic stronghold, was carved into three separate congressional districts, thereby reducing the county’s voting power and providing another Republican seat. 

This move drew backlash from U.S. Rep. John Rose, R-Cookeville, who characterized it as “gerrymandering” and “legislative overreach.” 

The redistricting paved the way for conservative U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles to flip the fifth district red. Since the 2022 change, the 9th Tennessee district, which includes Memphis, is the only Democratic district left.

Why does Marsha Blackburn want to take away Memphis' district?

With Midterms approaching, redistricting the state would give Republicans another seat in the House of Representatives. To have a majority in the House, a party needs 218 members, and Republicans have 217 plus one Independent.

There are five vacant seats in the House and dozens of other seats up for reelection or to replace a retiring member.

Thanks to President Donald Trump's record-low approval ratings, many Republicans are worried about losing the majority they have in the House, and thus losing potential legislative power.

Texas was the first state to redraw their congressional maps in 2025 to ensure a Republican majority in the House, sparking similar efforts across both red and blue states. Virginia became the latest to vote to adopt a new congressional map, benefitting Democrats, in an April 21 special election.

Blackburn is joining the redistricting arms race between Republicans and Democrats after a highly anticipated ruling by the Supreme Court.

Supreme Court decision on Louisiana redistricting

The Supreme Court on April 29 discarded a Louisiana congressional map designed to protect Black voters, undermining a key civil rights law.

The ideologically divided court ruled 6-3 in favor of the Trump administration and non-Black voters, arguing that the map relied too heavily on race, just three years after upholding the Voting Rights Act’s protections for racial minorities.

The decision may reduce the number of Black and Hispanic members in Congress and improve Republican chances of gaining seats in the U.S. House. States now have more freedom to redraw voting district boundaries at all levels of government.

The ruling, highly anticipated this term, may not impact this year's midterm elections. Some states might attempt to redraw congressional maps, but would likely encounter practical and legal challenges.

Which states have made changes to their districts in recent years?

According to the National Conference of State Legislators, seven states passed redistricting legislation in the last year.

• Texas: gained 5 Republican seats
• Missouri: gained 1 Republican seat
• North Carolina: gained 1 Republican seat
• Ohio: gained 2 Republican seats
• California: gained 5 Democratic seats
• Utah: gained 1 Democratic seat
• Virginia: gained 4 Democratic seats

There are also six states either working towards or considering redistricting, but have not passed legislation.

Difference between redistricting and gerrymandering

While the two terms are closely related, there is a significant moral difference between them.

According to the Bipartisan Policy Center, redistricting is the process by which the boundaries of electoral districts, such as for Congress and state legislatures, are determined in each state.

Every 10 years, the Director of the U.S. Census Bureau presents the Decennial Census results, which determines how the 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are distributed among states based on population. States must then redraw their district boundaries to achieve equal representation for each congressional seat.

Redistricting usually happens after the Census, but it can also occur due to court rulings finding maps unconstitutional or if state laws allow mid-decade changes.

Gerrymandering is the manipulation of electoral district boundaries to favor specific political parties. It can protect incumbents from both parties and has a history of being used to influence the electoral power of certain racial groups.

This practice reduces district competitiveness, resulting in more "safe" seats and intensifying primary elections, where candidates must appeal to passionate factions within their party.

Gerrymandering has long been a contentious issue in federal courts, especially concerning partisan and racial gerrymandering. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 and subsequent court rulings have worked to address and limit racial gerrymandering.

USA TODAY contributed to this report.

Jordan Green covers trending news for The Commercial Appeal and Tennessee. She can be reached at [email protected].