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The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
Following the special session called by Gov. Lee last week which resulted in the redistricting of Tennessee’s congressional district map, three lawsuits have now been filed to try and block its use ahead of the 2026 election. Meanwhile, the field of candidates in the newly created 9th District continues to grow as a surprise announcement was made by a State Representative on Sunday evening.
Almost immediately after Gov. Lee signed the new bills officially creating the new map and guidelines for the 2026 election last Thursday afternoon, the NAACP filed their suit alleging the governor did not properly state the purpose in calling for the special session.
The advocacy group claims that Lee only asked lawmakers to review the map, not specifically break up the Memphis-Shelby County district. This suit was filed in the Davidson County Chancery Court and is asking the court to block the map from taking effect prior to this year’s election.
A second suit was filed on Friday, May 8 in a federal court by the Tennessee Democrat Party and several Democrat lawmakers or candidates including State Rep. Justin Pearson, who has again made national news for his disgraceful behavior during and after the special session, and Congressman Steve Cohen who has held his federal office for nearly two decades.
This suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, argues the changes made during the special session come too close to the August primary election and could create voter confusion, disrupt the administration of elections, and risk disenfranchising military and overseas voters.
Plaintiffs claim that candidates and voters have already spent months organizing and campaigning under the old district boundaries, even though the new rules passed in the special session bills allow already qualified candidates to remain on the ballot in their original district.
Ultimately, the suit does not challenge the legality of the changed district boundaries but instead asks that the state be barred from implementing the changes until after the 2026 election cycle over timing concerns, especially as they will likely impact the campaigns of Rep. Pearson and Congressman Cohen.
The third suit was announced by the ACLU on Monday and argues “the cracking of Memphis unlawfully targeted Black voters in violation of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments” which deprives “Black residents of the power to elect even a single member of the State’s congressional delegation.”
Notably, the Supreme Court ruling which triggered the redistricting effort by Tennessee and several other Southern states explicitly repeals the practice of using race as a metric for drawing district lines, and Tennessee lawmakers made clear numerous times during the special session that the maps were drawn based on political demographics only, as using race would contradict the legality of the redistricting.
The ACLU filed their suit on behalf of several plaintiffs including the Black Clergy Collaborative of Memphis and the Equity Alliance and is also asking a federal court to block the new map before the August primary and restore the previous district boundaries while the case progresses.
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti is already working to halt progress on the NAACP lawsuit, stating the case cannot move forward until the Tennessee Supreme Court decides whether to appoint a three-judge panel to oversee the case. Skrmetti cited legislation from 2021 which requires any civil litigation challenging the constitutionality of a state statute to be assigned to such a panel and a bill passed as part of the redistricting package imposing the same requirement for any challenges to the redistricting itself.
Skrmetti’s filing will automatically halt any progress on the suit until the Supreme Court issues a decision. This will likely be the case for the other two suits as well, though there has not been any official response from the state regarding the additional suits as of this writing.
And despite the legal challenges to the new district lines, the candidate field is shifting and growing as new candidates enter, taking advantage of the redistricting package’s additional candidate qualification period. One of the bills passed grandfathers in candidates who already qualified for the ballot but also opens a brief window for new candidates who may wish to enter the congressional races based on the new lines.
State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis- District 31) announced his candidacy for the new 9th Congressional District within hours of Gov. Lee’s signature on the legislation and has already secured the endorsements of Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty, Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs, and several other state lawmakers. He has also reportedly loaned his campaign $1 million from his personal wealth.
But in an unexpected move, State Representative Todd Warner (R-Chapel Hill-District 92) announced his own candidacy for the seat during an interview with the Patriot Punk Network on Sunday evening.
“My name’s going in the hat in the morning. Brent Taylor ain’t gonna win this race, Todd Warner’s gonna win this race, you mark my words,” he declared. “I don’t care if the whole establishment- he gets every endorsement it is, the only endorsement I need is the endorsement of the people of the 9th District, and I will have it.”
In his official announcement Monday, Warner reiterated, “The swamp can keep their endorsements. I’m running for the people who feel like nobody in Washington fights for them anymore,” and vows to run an “aggressive, grassroots, America first campaign.”
Candidates have until noon on Friday, May 15 to qualify for the August 6 primary election which appears to be turning into a very heated contest.
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
