State Representative Johnny Garrett (R-Goodlettsville), who is running in the upcoming Republican primary for Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District, is urging immediate legislative action to redraw the state’s congressional map following Wednesday’s U.S. Supreme Court decision in the case Louisiana v. Callais.
The Court ruled 6-3 on Wednesday that Louisiana’s revised congressional map, which was designed to create a second majority-Black district, constituted an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. Writing for the majority, Justice Samuel Alito emphasized that race-based districting must meet a very high constitutional bar.
President Donald Trump has since spoken with Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, confirming that Lee will work to redraw Tennessee’s 9th Congressional District after the Court decision that narrowed how the Voting Rights Act can be applied when drawing congressional districts.
In an interview Thursday on The Michael Patrick Leahy Show, Garrett (pictured above) said he reacted “immediately” upon hearing the ruling while traveling in Crossville.
“I thought immediately, I’m running for Congress to bring a little Tennessee to D.C. We’ve got eight of us that go up there. What could bring more Tennessee to DC to have one more?,” he said.
Garrett proposed that state leaders convene a special session as soon as possible to address redistricting.
“I think we should have a special session. I think it should convene… Monday. Let’s get this thing going, where we can send another member of the Tennessee legislature as a Republican to D.C.,” he said.
He argued the current configuration of Tennessee’s 9th Congressional District, centered in Memphis and currently represented by U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN-09), is legally problematic under the Court’s ruling.
“It’s wildly a Democratic safe seat… We have a responsibility, I think, to abide by the law. We like law and order… we need this to make sure we comply with what the Supreme Court just said,” Garrett stressed.
“I believe Tennessee is right here in the fight that we can bring one more Republican seat to help President Trump pass his America First agenda,” he added.
He outlined the procedural paths to calling a special session, noting it could be initiated either by the governor or by lawmakers themselves.
“Per the Tennessee Constitution, each chamber with a two-thirds vote could call a special session… in case the governor decides not to call one,” he noted.
Garrett also expressed confidence that the timeline would allow changes before the 2026 elections.
“I do think we would have that time to get that done where we wouldn’t have to change the primary date… we have a late primary… I believe our timeline is appropriate,” he said.
On how redistricting might affect the state, Garrett said population shifts could lead to broader changes.
“The population is moving away from West Tennessee because of the woke policies of Shelby County. It would have to come a little bit over… towards Middle Tennessee where the growth is expanding,” he explained. “Of course, East Tennessee’s expanding too. So I do think some of the districts would change and it’d be interesting to see how it would.”
However, he argued that any new map would still favor Republicans statewide, noting, “I don’t think that any seat would be in danger of becoming more blue… Tennesseans want red Republicans representing them in Congress.”
Garrett went on to explain that multiple districts could be impacted by such change.
“I do think some of the districts would change… but I don’t think it’s gonna be significant where, ‘oh my gosh, I might have a competitive district’,” he explained. “I don’t think Tennesseans would stand for that.”
He added that map proposals are already being explored informally.
“I would say there’s many folks that are data-driven that are creating maps… nothing official of course.”
Garrett framed the issue as part of a broader political strategy to “save our country.”
“We gotta save our country. We gotta make sure Trump has a majority in the House… I think we would absolutely have to,” he said. “We’re ready to work.”
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X.
