Blog Post 3.3 "Redistricting District 9"

Article 1:

Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey (Speaker of the Senate) released details of the statewide congressional redistricting. He and Beth Harwell (Speaker of the House) both have agreed on the details for the redistricting. The state legislature convened to approve the redistricting maps and there are some changes. The majority of Shelby County makes up the 9th District. The ninth district is very democratic and is led by Congressman Steve Cohen. The new district lines give the western 2/3 of the county to district nine and the eastern part is given to district eight, which is led by Republican Stephen Fincher. District nine stayed Democratic but District Eight has become even more Republican. 

1. It is now represented by Chancellor Arnold Goldin. 

2. It occupies the entire western two-thirds of the county, from north to south, leaving the eastern third to the 8th congressional District, now held by Republican Stephen Fincher of Frog Jump in Crockett County.

3. 8th District would now extend from the Tipton County line to the Mississippi state line, taking in Shelby County's eastern suburbs. The 7th District has seen its western border advanced all the way over to Hardeman County, with Fayette County also absorbed into the 8th District.

Article 2:


Steve Cohen is not happy about the new district lines. Stephen Fincher, the Congressman of the Eighth District, now is over a majority of what was formerly a big part of Cohen's district. Cohen is also upset about the fact that he is "redistricted out of contact with all four Jewish Communities in Shelby County." Being Jewish himself, we is not happy about the way the new lines are drawn. The bad thing for Cohen is that the new district lines are definately in favor of the Republican Congressmen. 

1. They control both chambers of legislatures as well as governorship.

2. The Republicans are gerrymandering because the control the legislature and the process.

3. The rights of minorities African Americans in Tennessee can not be abridged or reduced in the determination of district lines.

4. It`s demographics will be completely different.

5. He could end up losing reelection due to the change in demographics.

6. He feels as if Cohen thinks that one race should only be represented by a person of that same race.