Tennessee State Rep. Jason Powell held a press conference Friday in Southeast Nashville criticizing Tennessee’s newly approved congressional maps and urging courts to intervene before the districts take effect ahead of upcoming elections.
Speaking in Davidson County, Powell argued the latest redistricting plan further divides Nashville communities and weakens local representation by placing portions of the city into sprawling congressional districts centered far outside the region.
Under the new maps approved during Tennessee’s recent special legislative session, most of Powell’s House district would move into Congressional District 4, currently represented by U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais. The district stretches across large portions of Middle and East Tennessee and extends beyond Monteagle Mountain.
Powell said the changes continue a trend that began during the 2022 redistricting cycle, when Davidson County was split among multiple congressional districts after previously being largely contained within a single Nashville-centered district.
“In just a few years, many Nashville voters will have gone from being represented by a Nashville-centered congressional district to being repeatedly shifted between multiple districts represented by members of Congress who do not live in or meaningfully represent Nashville communities,” Powell said.
The latest maps also reassign portions of Southeast Nashville that had previously been included in the district represented by U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles into the newly configured 4th Congressional District.
Powell emphasized that while much of the statewide focus surrounding the redistricting fight has centered on Memphis and the dismantling of the state’s longtime majority-Black congressional district, Nashville communities have also experienced major changes.
He pointed specifically to Southeast Nashville neighborhoods that include large Black, Latino, Asian, immigrant, refugee and international populations. Powell argued those communities share common economic, transportation, housing and educational interests tied directly to Nashville and Davidson County.
“The effect of these maps is the continued division of heavily diverse communities and communities of color,” Powell said. “Southeast Nashville is one of the most diverse areas in Tennessee, yet these neighborhoods continue to be divided apart and reassigned into districts centered far outside the city they actually live in.”
Powell accused Republican lawmakers of prioritizing national political interests over local representation.
“These maps were not drawn to strengthen local representation,” Powell said. “They were drawn to appease Donald Trump, and the communities paying the price are many of the most diverse and fastest-growing urban neighborhoods in Tennessee.”
The press conference comes as multiple lawsuits challenging Tennessee’s congressional maps continue moving through federal court. Critics of the maps argue lawmakers violated long standing redistricting principles and intentionally diluted minority voting strength by dividing urban Democratic communities across multiple Republican-leaning districts.
Powell also raised concerns about the speed at which the new districts are scheduled to take effect. Despite ongoing litigation, the maps are expected to be implemented for voting purposes within approximately two months.
“These maps are being rushed into place while voters, candidates, and election officials are still trying to understand entirely new districts,” Powell said. “The courts should throw these maps out before Tennesseans are forced to vote under districts created through a rushed process that raises serious legal and representational concerns.”
In addition to concerns over redistricting, Powell warned that the maps could weaken the political influence of immigrant communities and further fragment neighborhoods already facing rapid growth and demographic change.
The congressional redistricting debate has intensified political tensions across Tennessee in recent weeks, with opponents arguing the maps reduce fair representation while supporters contend lawmakers have the constitutional authority to redraw districts following changes in federal voting law and recent court decisions.
