Republicans unveil proposed congressional map that carves up Tennessee's lone Democratic district

Republican legislative leaders in Tennessee released a congressional map proposal that they hope to put in place before the midterm elections that would eliminate the state's only Democratic-controlled district.

Republican legislative leaders in Tennessee released a congressional map proposal Wednesday that they hope to put in place before the midterm elections that would eliminate the state's only Democratic-controlled district.

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The new map, which comes one week after the U.S. Supreme Court's major ruling limiting the use of race in redistricting, would carve up a majority-Black district based in Memphis that's represented by Democrat Steve Cohen.

“The Supreme Court has opined that redistricting, like the judicial system, should be color-blind. The decision indicated states like Tennessee can redistrict based on partisan politics,” state House Speaker Cameron Sexton said in a statement. “Tennessee’s redistricting will reduce the risk of future legal challenges while promoting sound and strategic conservatism.”