A federal judicial panel has permitted Tennessee to implement a new congressional map that divides a majority-Black district in Memphis, marking a legal success for Republicans seeking an additional seat in the upcoming midterm elections. The three-judge panel announced Thursday it would not issue a preliminary injunction against the new districts, allowing them to be used in the Aug. 6 primary elections.

Tennessee revised its congressional districts in May, shortly after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling diminished federal Voting Rights Act protections for minorities. This redistricting effort is among at least eight undertaken by Republican-led states since last year, following President Donald Trump's encouragement for states to redraw districts to their advantage in an effort to retain a slim U.S. House majority in November.

Opponents of the new districts argued in court that the Republican lawmakers responsible for the plan were partly motivated by racial discrimination, violating the U.S. Constitution. Republicans, however, maintained that their motivations were strictly partisan, aiming to secure the state's sole Democratic-held seat among its nine districts. Under a 2019 Supreme Court decision, state legislatures are permitted to draw partisan districts.

The judges, two appointed by Trump and one by former President Barack Obama, stated in their opinion that the plaintiffs were unlikely to prevail due to a "lack [of] any direct evidence of racial motivation." The ruling noted, "The road to a reliably 9-0 map runs through Memphis. Thus, political motivations readily explain the map’s dilutive effects."

In late April, the Supreme Court invalidated a majority-Black congressional district in Louisiana, deeming it an illegal racial gerrymander. This decision weakened protections within the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, which had previously afforded minorities an opportunity to elect their preferred candidates. It also created an avenue for Republicans in several Southern states to cite political reasons when redrawing voting districts with significant minority populations that have historically elected Democrats.

Under Tennessee's revised map, the Memphis-based district, which has a majority-Black population and has been represented for approximately two decades by Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen, a white man, was divided. The metropolitan area is now part of three different districts. Cohen's redrawn district now extends eastward for several hundred miles and stretches north toward the Nashville suburbs. Cohen announced his decision to end his reelection bid shortly after the map's approval.

Amber Sherman, a Memphis voter and plaintiff in the lawsuit, expressed disappointment with the ruling, describing it as "painful" to face an election under a map that diminishes the influence of Black voters. "We deserve the same opportunity to shape our future as anyone else," Sherman stated. "When our voting power is diluted, our neighborhoods have a harder time making their voices heard on the issues that shape our daily lives."

Ari Savitzky, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union Voting Rights Project, told the judges in mid-June that Republicans, who he characterized as "essentially an all-white-controlled legislative body," chose to dismantle the state's only concentration of Black political power in federal elections. Attorney Taylor Meehan, representing Tennessee election officials, disputed the claim of racially discriminatory motives. Meehan also argued that reverting to the state's previous congressional districts was no longer feasible, as primary election ballots had already been finalized using the new boundaries. Early voting commenced on July 17. "Racial data was turned off" during the crafting of the new districts, Meehan said. "The map was drafted for politics."