Rep. Cohen Suspends Reelection Over Redrawn District

Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee announced Friday that he is suspending his reelection campaign for the U.S. House, citing a newly drawn congressional map that Republicans enacted earlier this month to reshape his Memphis-based district.

The redistricting followed a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, which narrowed protections under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and limited the use of race-based congressional districts. Tennessee became the first state to approve new maps after the decision, with lawmakers carving up Cohen's majority-Black district in a way that favors Republican candidates. Cohen, who has represented the ninth district for about two decades, described the changes as targeted against him.

"I don't want to quit. I'm not a quitter. But these districts were drawn to beat me," Cohen told reporters in his Washington office. He is challenging the map in court and indicated he would reenter the race if his lawsuit restores the previous boundaries.

The move comes amid broader redistricting efforts across the South. States including Louisiana and Florida have enacted new maps, while Alabama and South Carolina are advancing alterations...