"What the Republicans did, and the Democrats did a little bit in response, is to try to get an advantage this year, mid decade. Redistricting is almost never done. And Tennessee had a statute making it legal since 1971. The first thing they had to do was to repeal that statute that had been on the books for 54 years, because Donald Trump called the governor of Tennessee and said, I want one more seat. And the governor complied."
"I'm upset by this. I think it's really bad for the democracy, and I'm a fan of yours. So I don't like it. And I don't get the criticism of stand and fight. Why would you fight when they changed the district and there aren't enough votes for you to win? That's silly."
"Cohen got emotional and shed some tears as the interview wrapped up. You know, it's funny, my press conference today is the most cameras I think I've had since the Victoria incident. And here we are again. And I got tears, the lawmaker said."
"The move comes after redistricting in the state, which Democrats have blasted as political gerrymandering. Cohen joined NewsNation's Chris Cuomo following Cohen's announcement that he's dropping a reelection bid to represent Tennessee's ninth district, which he's represented since 2007."
Rep. Steve Cohen ended his reelection campaign for Tennessee’s ninth district after redistricting changed the district boundaries and reduced his ability to win. He described the redistricting process as politically motivated, with Republicans seeking an advantage mid-decade and Democrats responding in kind. Cohen said Tennessee had a statute allowing redistricting legality since 1971, and that the statute was repealed to enable the new map. He linked the change to Donald Trump’s influence on Tennessee’s governor, who complied and later left office due to term limits. Cohen became emotional during the interview, referencing prior public controversy and his tears as he reflected on the democratic impact.
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