Steve Cohen Announces Retirement After Tennessee GOP Redistricting Shakeup

Rep. Steve Cohen announced Friday that he will not seek re-election after Tennessee Republicans approved a congressional map overhaul that dramatically reshaped his longtime Memphis-area district.

Cohen, the only Democrat in Tennessee’s congressional delegation, said the newly drawn districts effectively ended his path to another term in Congress after nearly two decades representing the state’s 9th Congressional District.

“I don’t want to quit. I’m not a quitter,” Cohen told reporters in Washington. “But these districts were drawn to beat me.”

The updated congressional map, signed into law earlier this month by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, dismantles the heavily Democratic Memphis-based district and redistributes its voters into three Republican-leaning districts.

Cohen indicated he is still challenging the map in court and left open the possibility of returning to the race if the legal challenge succeeds in restoring his previous district boundaries before the 2026 election cycle advances.

The 76-year-old Memphis native has represented the district since 2007 and built a national profile as one of Congress’ more outspoken and theatrical Democrats. Supporters viewed him as a combative progressive voice, while critics frequently accused him of prioritizing political stunts over serious governance.

One of Cohen’s most widely mocked moments came in 2019 when he brought a bucket of fried chicken to a House Judiciary Committee hearing after then-Attorney General Bill Barr declined to appear. Cohen used the stunt to accuse Barr of avoiding congressional scrutiny.

The congressman also drew backlash from veterans groups in 2018 after telling disgraced former FBI official Peter Strzok, “If I could give you a Purple Heart, I would,” comparing criticism directed at Strzok to combat sacrifice recognized by the military honor.

Tennessee became the first state to redraw its congressional map following the Supreme Court’s recent ruling in Callais v. Louisiana. In that decision, the Court ruled 6-3 that congressional districts intentionally drawn primarily around race violate the 14th Amendment unless narrowly tailored to address specific discrimination concerns.

The ruling immediately triggered redistricting efforts across several Republican-controlled Southern states, including Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and South Carolina, as lawmakers moved to reevaluate congressional maps ahead of the 2030 census.

Tennessee’s congressional primaries are currently scheduled for Aug. 6, though legal battles over the new map could continue for months.