• Republicans in Tennessee approved a new congressional map dismantling a majority-Black district centered in Memphis.
• The decision, influenced by a recent Supreme Court ruling, faces accusations of racial gerrymandering.
• Protests erupted at the state capitol as the legislature voted largely along party lines.
• The new districts are expected to favor Republican candidates ahead of the November midterms.
• Other Southern states are considering similar actions following the Supreme Court's decision on the Voting Rights Act.

Tennessee's Republican-led legislature passed a new congressional map on Thursday, effectively dismantling the state's only majority-Black district in Memphis. This move has been characterized as a strategic effort to enhance Republican representation ahead of the November midterm elections, where control of the U.S. House is at stake, according to latimes, reuters, and cbsnews.

The new map splits Shelby County, home to Memphis, into three districts that tilt Republican, risking the seat held by Democratic Representative Steve Cohen. Protesters gathered at the state capitol to voice their opposition, chanting slogans such as "No Jim Crow," while Democratic representatives linked arms in protest during the vote, according to npr and aljazeera.

The legislation, which repeals a previous ban on mid-decade redistricting, was pushed forward following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that weakened the Voting Rights Act. This ruling has prompted several Southern states, including Alabama and Louisiana, to reconsider their congressional maps to eliminate Democratic-held districts, according to reuters, cbsnews, and npr.

Supporters of the new map assert that it was drawn to maximize partisan advantage rather than race. State Rep. Jason Zachary claimed this presents a unique opportunity for Tennessee to send an all-Republican delegation to Washington, D.C. However, opponents have labeled these changes as tools for racial discrimination, echoing concerns raised by protests and Democratic lawmakers about the intended impact on the majority-Black community in Memphis, according to latimes and aljazeera.

The contentious atmosphere surrounding the vote has underscored the heightened stakes of redistricting as states across the nation navigate this politically charged process, intensifying the battle for congressional seats leading up to the elections, reports reuters, cbsnews, and aljazeera.