Longtime Democratic Rep Steve Cohen announces end to re-election bid

Bill Lee (R) signed a new GOP-friendly map into law that carved up his district.

The ten-term Democrat who represents the Memphis area spoke to reporters in Washington on Friday after votes.

The announcement is the first indication of how the dilution of Black Democratic voting strength will scramble political fortunes after the Supreme Court weakened the Voting Rights Act last month.

Republicans in Tennessee this month enacted a new U.S. House map that carves up Cohen’s majority-Black district, reshaping it to the GOP’s advantage as part of President Donald Trump’s strategy to hold on to a slim majority in the November midterm elections.