Tennessee Governor Bill Lee ordered state lawmakers to convene next week for a special legislative session to formally review the state’s congressional map in the wake of a high-stakes ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court opening the door for states to redraw racial gerrymandered districts.
In the case of Louisiana v. Callais, the Court ruled Wednesday that Louisiana’s revised congressional map, which was designed to create a second majority-black district, constituted an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.
The Court’s majority opinion in the case, authored by Justice Samuel Alito, emphasized that race-based districting must meet a very high constitutional bar, which essentially narrows how the Voting Rights Act can be applied when drawing congressional districts.
Following Wednesday’s ruling, President Donald Trump said he spoke with Lee, confirming at the time that the governor would “work hard” to redraw the state’s 9th Congressional District, which is currently represented by U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN-09).
We owe it to Tennesseans to ensure our congressional districts accurately reflect the will of Tennessee voters. pic.twitter.com/oYccVnpQue
— Gov. Bill Lee (@GovBillLee) May 1, 2026
Lee announced his decision to call a special session on Friday, releasing a statement, “We owe it to Tennesseans to ensure our congressional districts accurately reflect the will of Tennessee voters.”
“After consultation with the Lt. Governor, Speaker of the House, Attorney General, and Secretary of State, I believe the General Assembly has a responsibility to review the map and ensure it remains fair, legal, and defensible,” the governor added.
Lee said lawmakers will convene on Tuesday, May 5.
Noting how this year’s primary election date for congressional candidates is August 6, Lee’s office said, “In order to comply with mandatory election qualifying timelines and ensure Tennesseans have reflective representation, any change to Tennessee’s congressional map must be enacted as soon as possible.”
Lee’s decision to call a special session for lawmakers to review the state’s congressional map was applauded by gubernatorial candidate U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), who, after Wednesday’s Court ruling, immediately called on the Tennessee General Assembly to reconvene and redraw the 9th Congressional District.
“Grateful to President [Trump] and Governor [Lee] for their commitment to our state’s conservative values, and it was an honor to help lead the charge alongside them. Now, I’m hopeful the Republican supermajority in the legislature will act and make certain we add another Republican seat – I have your back 100%,” Blackburn said.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X.
Photo “Bill Lee” by Bill Lee.
