WASHINGTON, May 15 (Reuters) – Democratic U.S. Representative Steve Cohen said on Friday he will not seek re-election after his Tennessee district was redrawn by Republicans.
Cohen, 76, represents a majority-Black district in Memphis, but Republicans in Tennessee passed a new map splitting Shelby County, which includes Memphis, into three Republican-leaning districts. A U.S. Supreme Court decision has gutted a landmark voting rights law that protected districts where racial minorities comprise a majority of the district.
• Cohen faced a progressive primary challenge from 31-year-old State Representative Justin Pearson.
• Tennessee primary is August 6.
• Democrats only need to capture a net three seats from Republicans to win control of U.S. House of Representatives in November midterm elections.
• Republicans in several states have redrawn congressional districts after President Donald Trump urged Texas to redraw its map last summer.
• Democrats have countered in other states but were set back by Supreme Court decision and a Virginia Supreme Court ruling nullifying a voter-approved map.
(Reporting by Nolan D. McCaskill; editing by Andy Sullivan and Kevin Liffey)
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