Tennessee's 9th congressional district

Template:Short description Script error: No such module "Unsubst". Script error: No such module "Hatnote". Script error: No such module "Infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Tennessee's 9th congressional district is a congressional district in West Tennessee, covering most of Memphis and its inner suburbs. It has been represented by Democrat Steve Cohen since 2007.

The district was re-created as a result of the redistricting cycle after the 1980 census. The district is almost exclusively urban, due to its mostly cohabitant nature with Memphis.

Memphis is recognized worldwide for being the hub for FedEx. Largely due to FedEx's presence, Memphis International Airport handles more cargo than any other airport in the country. Memphis is also known for blues music, Beale Street, and barbecue.

It is the only majority minority congressional district in Tennessee. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of D+23, it is the only Democratic district in Tennessee.^[1] Since 1875, the area has sent mostly Democrats to Congress with the exception of a brief period from 1967 to 1975 when it was represented by Republican Dan Kuykendall.

Current boundaries

For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 census), the district contains all or portions of the following counties and communities:^[2]

Shelby County (4)

Bartlett (part; also 8th), Collierville (part; also 8th), Memphis (part; also 8th), Millington

Tipton County (8)

Atoka (part; also 8th), Brighton (part; also 8th), Burlison, Covington (part; also 8th), Garland, Gilt Edge, Munford, Randolph

Recent election results from statewide races

Year	Office	Results^[3]
2008	President	align="right" style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading"\|Obama 73% - 26%
2012	President	align="right" style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading"\|Obama 74% - 26%
2016	President	align="right" style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading"\|Clinton 72% - 25%
2018	Senate	align="right" style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading"\|Bredesen 75% - 23%
2018	Governor	align="right" style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading"\|Dean 70% - 26%
2020	President	align="right" style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading"\|Biden 73% - 25%
2020	Senate	align="right" style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading"\|Bradshaw 71% - 26%
2022	Governor	align="right" style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading"\|Martin 65% - 33%
2024	President	align="right" style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading"\|Harris 70% - 28%
2024	Senate	align="right" style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading"\|Johnson 69% - 28%

History

Arguably, the district's current characteristics began to take shape in 1925 — the first year a congressional district consisted exclusively of Shelby County.

A congressional district was perfectly coextensive with Shelby County from 1925 until 1966, numbered as the 10th from 1925 to 1933 and from 1943 to 1953, then the 9th from 1933 to 1943 and the 9th from 1953 to 1966.

In 1966, the Supreme Court case Baker v. Carr took effect. In that ruling, the court laid out a "one man, one vote" standard. Prior to 1966, the 9th was nearly ten times larger in population than the nearby 7th and 8th.

1967 was the first year where the district covered merely a fraction of Shelby County rather than the county's entirety. In that election, the district chose former US Senate Republican nominee Dan Kuykendall. The district was renumbered the 8th in 1973 and was pushed further into Memphis. In 1974, in the midst of Watergate, Kuykendall supported Nixon throughout the scandal, and was subsequently defeated by Democrat Harold Ford Sr., whose family had strong political ties in Memphis dating back to at least the 1920s.

The district has voted Democratic in every congressional race since 1974. After the 1980 census saw it become the 9th once again and was drawn as a black-majority district. This allowed the Democrats to consolidate their hold on the seat. With most of Memphis' wealthier and now heavily Republican eastern portion now in the 7th, the GOP largely lost interest in the 9th; only nominal Republican candidates have run there from 1982 onward.

Ford served in Congress for 22 years, when he was replaced by his son — Harold Ford Jr. — in 1997. The younger Ford served for ten years, until he mounted an unsuccessful bid for US Senate. Concurrent to Ford's senate bid, the district chose state senator Steve Cohen over Ford's brother Jake, with the Republicans pushed into third place.^[4] Cohen is noted for being Tennessee's first Jewish congressman, and was the first white Democrat to represent a significant portion of Memphis in 40 years. He has been elected seven times, and since 2022 has been the only Democrat in the state's delegation.

List of members representing the district

Name	Party	Years	Cong ress	Electoral history
District established March 4, 1823
Adam R. Alexander (Jackson)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1823. Re-elected in 1825. Lost re-election.
	style="background-color:Template:Party color" \| Jacksonian	March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1827	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1823. Re-elected in 1825. Lost re-election.
File:David Crockett.jpg Davy Crockett (Crockett)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	style="background-color:Template:Party color" \| Jacksonian	March 4, 1827 – March 3, 1829	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1827. Re-elected in 1829. Lost re-election.
	Anti-Jacksonian	March 4, 1829 – March 3, 1831	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1827. Re-elected in 1829. Lost re-election.
William Fitzgerald (Dresden)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	style="background-color:Template:Party color" \| Jacksonian	March 4, 1831 – March 3, 1833	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1831. Redistricted to the Template:Ushr and lost re-election.
File:James Polk restored.jpg James K. Polk (Columbia)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	style="background-color:Template:Party color" \| Jacksonian	March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1837	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Redistricted from the Template:Ushr and re-elected in 1833. Re-elected in 1835. Re-elected in 1837. Retired to run for Governor of Tennessee.
	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" \| Democratic	March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1839	Template:USCongressOrdinal
Harvey M. Watterson (Shelbyville)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" \| Democratic	March 4, 1839 – March 3, 1843	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1839. Re-elected in 1841. Retired.
File:Cave Johnson.jpg Cave Johnson (Clarksville)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" \| Democratic	March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1845	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Redistricted from the Template:Ushr and re-elected in 1843. Retired.
Lucien B. Chase (Clarksville)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" \| Democratic	March 4, 1845 – March 3, 1849	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1845. Re-elected in 1847. Retired.
File:Isham-harris-by-brady.jpg Isham G. Harris (Paris)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" \| Democratic	March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1853	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1849. Re-elected in 1851. Retired.
File:Emerson Etheridge - Brady-Handy.jpg Emerson Etheridge (Dresden)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	style="background-color:Template:Party color" \| Whig	March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1853. Re-elected in 1855. Lost re-election.
	style="background-color:Template:Party color" \| Know Nothing	March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1853. Re-elected in 1855. Lost re-election.
File:John DeWitt Clinton Atkins - Brady-Handy.jpg John D. C. Atkins (Paris)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" \| Democratic	March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1859	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1857. Lost re-election.
File:Emerson Etheridge - Brady-Handy.jpg Emerson Etheridge (Dresden)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	Opposition	March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1861	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1859. Retired after West Tennessee seceded.
District inactive		March 4, 1861 – March 3, 1863	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Civil War
District dissolved March 4, 1863
District re-established March 4, 1873
File:BarbourLewis.jpg Barbour Lewis (Memphis)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" \| Republican	March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1875	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1872. Redistricted to the Template:Ushr and lost re-election.
File:William Parker Caldwell - Brady-Handy.jpg William P. Caldwell (Gardner)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" \| Democratic	March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1879	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1874. Re-elected in 1876. Retired.
File:Charles B. Simonton (Tennessee Congressman).jpg Charles B. Simonton (Covington)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" \| Democratic	March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1883	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1878. Re-elected in 1880. Retired.
File:Rice A. Pierce (Tennessee Congressman).jpg Rice A. Pierce (Union City)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" \| Democratic	March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1885	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1882. Lost renomination.
File:Presley T Glass.jpg Presley T. Glass (Ripley)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" \| Democratic	March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1889	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1884. Re-elected in 1886. Lost renomination.
File:Rice A. Pierce (Tennessee Congressman).jpg Rice A. Pierce (Union City)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" \| Democratic	March 4, 1889 – March 3, 1893	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1888. Re-elected in 1890. Lost re-election as an Independent Democrat.
File:James C. McDearmon (Tennessee Congressman).jpg James C. McDearmon (Trenton)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" \| Democratic	March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1897	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1892. Re-elected in 1894. Lost renomination.
File:Rice A. Pierce (Tennessee Congressman).jpg Rice A. Pierce (Union City)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" \| Democratic	March 4, 1897 – March 3, 1905	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1896. Re-elected in 1898. Re-elected in 1900. Re-elected in 1902. Lost renomination.
File:Finis J. Garrett (Tennessee Congressman).jpg Finis J. Garrett (Dresden)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" \| Democratic	March 4, 1905 – March 3, 1929	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1904. Re-elected in 1906. Re-elected in 1908. Re-elected in 1910. Re-elected in 1912. Re-elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1916. Re-elected in 1918. Re-elected in 1920. Re-elected in 1922. Re-elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Retired to run for U.S. senator.
File:Jere Cooper (Tennessee Congressman).jpg Jere Cooper (Dyersburg)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" \| Democratic	March 4, 1929 – March 3, 1933	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1928. Re-elected in 1930. Redistricted to the Template:Ushr.
File:E.H. Crump cph.3b20183.jpg E.H. Crump (Memphis)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" \| Democratic	March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1935	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Redistricted from the Template:Ushr and re-elected in 1932. Retired.
File:Walter Clift Chandler (Tennessee Congressman).jpg Clift Chandler (Memphis)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" \| Democratic	January 3, 1935 – January 2, 1940	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1934. Re-elected in 1936. Re-elected in 1938. Resigned when elected Mayor of Memphis.
Vacant		January 2, 1940 – February 15, 1940	Template:USCongressOrdinal
File:Clifford Davis.jpg Clifford Davis (Memphis)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" \| Democratic	February 15, 1940 – January 3, 1943	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected to finish Chandler's term. Re-elected in 1940. Redistricted to the Template:Ushr.
File:Jere Cooper (Tennessee Congressman).jpg Jere Cooper (Dyersburg)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" \| Democratic	January 3, 1943 – January 3, 1953	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Redistricted from the Template:Ushr and re-elected in 1942. Re-elected in 1944. Re-elected in 1946. Re-elected in 1948. Re-elected in 1950. Redistricted to the Template:Ushr.
File:Clifford Davis.jpg Clifford Davis (Memphis)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" \| Democratic	January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1965	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Redistricted from the Template:Ushr and re-elected in 1952. Re-elected in 1954. Re-elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. Re-elected in 1962. Lost renomination.
File:George W. Grider (Tennessee Congressman).jpg George Grider (Memphis)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" \| Democratic	January 3, 1965 – January 3, 1967	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1964. Lost re-election.
File:Dan Kuykendall.jpg Dan Kuykendall (Memphis)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	style="background-color:Template:Republican Party (US)/meta/shading" \| Republican	January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1973	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Redistricted to the Template:Ushr.
District dissolved January 3, 1973
District re-established January 3, 1983
File:Harold Ford, Sr.jpg Harold Ford Sr. (Memphis)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" \| Democratic	January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1997	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Redistricted from the Template:Ushr and re-elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Re-elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Retired.
File:Harold Ford, Congressional photo portrait.jpg Harold Ford Jr. (Memphis)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" \| Democratic	January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2007	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Retired to run for U.S. senator.
File:Steve Cohen official blue.jpg Steve Cohen (Memphis)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".	style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" \| Democratic	January 3, 2007 – present	Template:USCongressOrdinal	Elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024.