Rep. Cohen Drops Reelection Bid After State Redistricting

Cohen represents the sole Democratic U.S. House seat from the state of Tennessee.

Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) speaks at a hearing on oversight of the Federal Trade Commission in Washington on July 13, 2023. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

Longtime Democratic U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, of Memphis, Tennessee, declared on May 15 he was ending his reelection bid after representing it for 19 years. Cohen said his decision was motivated by the Tennessee General Assembly’s last week splitting the Ninth Congressional District, in which he represented, into three GOP-leaning districts. 

Cohen said he considered running in one of the new districts but that the new districts had “no commonality” with the district he currently represents. State Rep. Justin Pearson, a Democrat, is running for the new District 9 seat and was previously primarying Cohen.