Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) announced on May 15, 2026, that he will not seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2026.
Cohen’s announcement came after the Tennessee General Assembly passed a new congressional map on May 7, 2026, which Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R) signed that day. Based on the 2024 presidential election results, the new map would make the district that Cohen currently represents, Tennessee's 9th Congressional District, more favorable to Republicans.
In a statement, Cohen said, “This morning I made public my decision not to run in any of the three gerrymandered congressional districts carved out of the 9th District I have represented for more than 19 years. [...] It has been the honor of a lifetime to represent the people of Memphis in my 47 years of public service, first at the state Constitutional Convention and on the Shelby County Commission, then 24 years in the state Senate and now more than 19 years in Congress.”
