Republican Gov. Bill Lee of Tennessee signed a law setting a congressional map that favors Republicans in the state.
Lee signed S.B. 781 into effect on Sunday, according to Bloomberg Government. The map is expected to give Republicans an edge in eight of nine congressional districts in Tennessee, leading to some incumbent Democrats not running for reelection.
“Today I am announcing that I will not run for re-election to Congress,” Democratic Rep. Jim Cooper, the representative of the 5th Congressional District, said in a statement. “After 34 years in office, I will be leaving Congress next year.”
“I cannot thank the people of Nashville enough,” Cooper added. “You backed me more than almost anyone in Tennessee history.”
STATE REPUBLICANS TAKE DIFFERENT PATHS TO ‘CRACKING’ DEMOCRATIC HOUSE MEMBERS FROM POWER
Cooper’s statement on Twitter came a day after the State’s Legislature approved the law on Jan. 25.
“Despite my strength at the polls, I could not stop the General Assembly from dismembering Nashville. No one tried harder to keep our city whole,” he said. “I explored every possible way, including lawsuits, to stop the gerrymandering and to win one of the three new congressional districts that now divide Nashville.”
Several other Democrats such as state Reps. John Ray Clemmons and Vincent Dixie also expressed their dissatisfaction with the bill.
Dixie said the new congressional map “disenfranchises African Americans and minorities in the state of Tennessee,” according to Bloomberg Government.
Today I am announcing that I will not run for re-election to Congress. After 32 years in office, I will be leaving Congress next year.
I cannot thank the people of Nashville enough. You backed me more than almost anyone in Tennessee history. pic.twitter.com/C6LE31uFQC
— Jim Cooper (@repjimcooper) January 25, 2022
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The Tennessee House of Representatives recently passed new state House, state Senate, and congressional district maps.
The Washington Examiner reached out to Lee and Cooper for comment but did not receive responses.
