A Democratic state lawmaker in Tennessee called Thursday for Memphis to secede over a new redistricting map approved by Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican.
The map, which was quickly passed by the Tennessee General Assembly, favors Republican interests by redrawing district boundaries. It eliminates the state’s only majority-Black district and poses a threat to the district held by the state’s only Democratic representative.
The lawmaker criticized the map, saying it undermines representation for Memphis and minority communities. Lee signed the legislation into law shortly after its passage.
Details on the lawmaker’s call for secession were not specified in the statement, but the move highlights ongoing tensions over redistricting in the state.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
