State House and Senate Pass, Governor Signs New Congressional Map - Articles

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State House and Senate Pass, Governor Signs New Congressional Map

Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on May 7, 2026

Tennessee lawmakers passed a new congressional map today, the Daily Memphian reports. The House approved the new map on a 65-24 vote with three present and not voting. The Senate passed the proposal 25-5. The governor signed HB7003/SB7004 today as well. House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, and Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, said the new map “was drawn based on population and politics,” according to the Nashville Banner. Multiple individuals and entities have indicated they will sue, including the American Civil Liberties Union, the NAACP of Tennessee — which did file an emergency petition today — and current District 9 Rep. Steve Cohen. The Daily Memphian and Commercial Appeal report on those efforts.

The legislature also passed HB7001/SB7001 with an amendment to set a new filing deadline of May 15 and giving political parties until May 17 to decide whether candidates are qualified to run. Candidates who already qualified under the March 10 deadline do not need to requalify if they run in the same numbered district even if that district has been redrawn. It also passed HB7002/SB7002 to repeal a 1972 state law that prohibited congressional redistricting in between decennial census cycles. The governor signed both of those bills today.

The new map will affect multiple districts, as summarized below.

  • District 4, currently represented by Republican Rep. Scott Desjarlais of rural Marion County, would cover the area southeast of Nashville, including Rutherford County, but also pick up a slice of Antioch in Davidson County according to Axios.
  • District 5 would no longer include Davidson County but would be reshaped into a sprawling district from the southwest corner of the state in Shelby County all the way to the Kentucky border in the north and then back down into suburban counties south of Nashville. The change means that the district’s incumbent Republican Rep. Andy Ogles no longer would face Democrat Chaz Molder, who would have to run for District 9 if he wants to continue representing his hometown of Columbia, according to the Tennessean. Other parts of Nashville would be divided between two districts, according to Axios.
  • The 6th District, represented by Republican Rep. John Rose, would take in a portion of Davidson County and reach into small portions of Sumner County, while the 7th District, currently represented by Republican Rep. Matt Van Epps, would include the bulk of Davidson County.
  • The 8th District, currently held by Republican Rep. David Kustoff, would take in the northeastern portion of Shelby County, including Memphis suburbs, and run across rural West Tennessee counties such as Haywood and Madison, ending in Perry County in Middle Tennessee, according to Memphis Flyer.
  • The 9th District, which currently includes Memphis and part of Tipton County and is represented by Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen, would run across southern Shelby County along the state’s southern border, taking in the eastern part of Maury and Williamson counties, as well as Moore County, according to Memphis Flyer.