Tennessee's 9th congressional district

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Tennessee's 9th congressional district is a congressional district in West Tennessee. It has been represented by Democrat Steve Cohen since 2007.

Tennessee's 9th congressional district
Map
Interactive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2023
Representative
Distribution
  • 98.54% urban[1]
  • 1.46% rural
Population (2023)747,578[2]
Median household
income
$53,598[3]
Ethnicity
Cook PVID+22[4]

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+22, it is the only Democratic district in Tennessee.[4] Since 1875, the area has sent mostly Democrats to Congress with the exception of a brief period from 1967 to 1974 when it was represented by Republican Dan Kuykendall.

Current boundaries

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Beginning in 2023, the district covers most of Shelby County, where the city of Memphis is located. It also includes just under half of Tipton County.

It begins north on the border with Lauderdale County and encompasses part of Covington. It then travels south to the district's anchor city of Memphis. Nearly all of Memphis is in the 9th, although most of the city's eastern portion spills over into the 8th. The district then juts out east to grab Cordova, but mostly avoids Bartlett and Germantown. The district is bounded on the west and south by Arkansas and Mississippi respectively.

Election results from statewide races

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Results under old lines (2013–2023)

Year Office Result
2000 President Al Gore 63% - George W. Bush 36%
2004 President John Kerry 70% - George W. Bush 30%
2008 President Barack Obama 77% - John McCain 22.5%
2012 President Barack Obama 78.4% - Mitt Romney 21%
2016 President Hillary Clinton 77.5% - Donald Trump 19.8%
2020 President Joe Biden 78.5% - Donald Trump 19.9%

History

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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. The Democrats consolidated their hold on the seat when the 1980 census saw it become the 9th once again. Since then, it has been drawn as a black-majority district.

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.[5] Cohen is noted for being Tennessee's first Jewish congressman, and has been elected seven times for a little over fourteen years in Congress.

List of members representing the district

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Name Party Years Cong
ress
Electoral history
District established March 4, 1823
Adam R. Alexander
(Jackson)
Democratic-Republican March 4, 1823 –
March 3, 1825
18th
19th
Elected in 1823.
Re-elected in 1825.
Lost re-election.
Jacksonian March 4, 1825 –
March 3, 1827
 
Davy Crockett
(Crockett)
Jacksonian March 4, 1827 –
March 3, 1829
20th
21st
Elected in 1827.
Re-elected in 1829.
Lost re-election.
Anti-Jacksonian March 4, 1829 –
March 3, 1831
William Fitzgerald
(Dresden)
Jacksonian March 4, 1831 –
March 3, 1833
22nd Elected in 1831.
Redistricted to the 12th district and lost re-election.
 
James K. Polk
(Columbia)
Jacksonian March 4, 1833 –
March 3, 1837
23rd
24th
25th
Redistricted from the 6th district and re-elected in 1833.
Re-elected in 1835.
Re-elected in 1837.
Retired to run for Governor of Tennessee.
Democratic March 4, 1837 –
March 3, 1839
Harvey M. Watterson
(Shelbyville)
Democratic March 4, 1839 –
March 3, 1843
26th
27th
Elected in 1839.
Re-elected in 1841.
Retired.
 
Cave Johnson
(Clarksville)
Democratic March 4, 1843 –
March 3, 1845
28th Redistricted from the 11th district and re-elected in 1843.
Retired.
Lucien B. Chase
(Clarksville)
Democratic March 4, 1845 –
March 3, 1849
29th
30th
Elected in 1845.
Re-elected in 1847.
Retired.
 
Isham G. Harris
(Paris)
Democratic March 4, 1849 –
March 3, 1853
31st
32nd
Elected in 1849.
Re-elected in 1851.
Retired.
 
Emerson Etheridge
(Dresden)
Whig March 4, 1853 –
March 3, 1855
33rd
34th
Elected in 1853.
Re-elected in 1855.
Lost re-election.
Know Nothing March 4, 1855 –
March 3, 1857
 
John D. C. Atkins
(Paris)
Democratic March 4, 1857 –
March 3, 1859
35th Elected in 1857.
Lost re-election.
 
Emerson Etheridge
(Dresden)
Opposition March 4, 1859 –
March 3, 1861
36th Elected in 1859.
Retired after West Tennessee seceded.
District inactive March 4, 1861 –
March 3, 1863
37th Civil War
District dissolved March 4, 1863
District re-established March 4, 1873
 
Barbour Lewis
(Memphis)
Republican March 4, 1873 –
March 3, 1875
43rd Elected in 1872.
Redistricted to the 10th district and lost re-election.
 
William P. Caldwell
(Gardner)
Democratic March 4, 1875 –
March 3, 1879
44th
45th
Elected in 1874.
Re-elected in 1876.
Retired.
 
Charles B. Simonton
(Covington)
Democratic March 4, 1879 –
March 3, 1883
46th
47th
Elected in 1878.
Re-elected in 1880.
Retired.
 
Rice A. Pierce
(Union City)
Democratic March 4, 1883 –
March 3, 1885
48th Elected in 1882.
Lost renomination.
 
Presley T. Glass
(Ripley)
Democratic March 4, 1885 –
March 3, 1889
49th
50th
Elected in 1884.
Re-elected in 1886.
Lost renomination.
 
Rice A. Pierce
(Union City)
Democratic March 4, 1889 –
March 3, 1893
51st
52nd
Elected in 1888.
Re-elected in 1890.
Lost re-election as an Independent Democrat.
 
James C. McDearmon
(Trenton)
Democratic March 4, 1893 –
March 3, 1897
53rd
54th
Elected in 1892.
Re-elected in 1894.
Lost renomination.
 
Rice A. Pierce
(Union City)
Democratic March 4, 1897 –
March 3, 1905
55th
56th
57th
58th
Elected in 1896.
Re-elected in 1898.
Re-elected in 1900.
Re-elected in 1902.
Lost renomination.
 
Finis J. Garrett
(Dresden)
Democratic March 4, 1905 –
March 3, 1929
59th
60th
61st
62nd
63rd
64th
65th
66th
67th
68th
69th
70th
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.
 
Jere Cooper
(Dyersburg)
Democratic March 4, 1929 –
March 3, 1933
71st
72nd
Elected in 1928.
Re-elected in 1930.
Redistricted to the 8th district.
 
E.H. Crump
(Memphis)
Democratic March 4, 1933 –
January 3, 1935
73rd Redistricted from the 10th district and re-elected in 1932.
Retired.
 
Clift Chandler
(Memphis)
Democratic January 3, 1935 –
January 2, 1940
74th
75th
76th
Elected in 1934.
Re-elected in 1936.
Re-elected in 1938.
Resigned when elected Mayor of Memphis.
Vacant January 2, 1940 –
February 15, 1940
76th
 
Clifford Davis
(Memphis)
Democratic February 15, 1940 –
January 3, 1943
76th
77th
Elected to finish Chandler's term.
Re-elected in 1940.
Redistricted to the 10th district.
 
Jere Cooper
(Dyersburg)
Democratic January 3, 1943 –
January 3, 1953
78th
79th
80th
81st
82nd
Redistricted from the 8th district and re-elected in 1942.
Re-elected in 1944.
Re-elected in 1946.
Re-elected in 1948.
Re-elected in 1950.
Redistricted to the 8th district.
 
Clifford Davis
(Memphis)
Democratic January 3, 1953 –
January 3, 1965
83rd
84th
85th
86th
87th
88th
Redistricted from the 10th district 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.
 
George Grider
(Memphis)
Democratic January 3, 1965 –
January 3, 1967
89th Elected in 1964.
Lost re-election.
 
Dan Kuykendall
(Memphis)
Republican January 3, 1967 –
January 3, 1973
90th
91st
92nd
Elected in 1966.
Re-elected in 1968.
Re-elected in 1970.
Redistricted to the 8th district.
District dissolved January 3, 1973
District re-established January 3, 1983
 
Harold Ford Sr.
(Memphis)
Democratic January 3, 1983 –
January 3, 1997
98th
99th
100th
101st
102nd
103rd
104th
Redistricted from the 8th district 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.
 
Harold Ford Jr.
(Memphis)
Democratic January 3, 1997 –
January 3, 2007
105th
106th
107th
108th
109th
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.
 
Steve Cohen
(Memphis)
Democratic January 3, 2007 –
present
110th
111th
112th
113th
114th
115th
116th
117th
118th
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.

Recent election results

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2012

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2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee[6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Steve Cohen (Incumbent) 188,422 75.1%
Republican George S. Flinn, Jr. 59,742 23.8%
Independent Brian L. Saulsberry 1,448 0.6%
Independent Gregory M. Joiner 1,372 0.5%
Total votes 250,987 100%
Democratic hold

2014

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2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Steve Cohen (Incumbent) 87,376 75%
Republican Charlotte Bergmann 27,173 23.3%
Independent Floyd Wayne Alberson 766 0.7%
Independent Paul Cook 752 0.6%
Independent Herbert Bass 483 0.4%
Total votes 116,550 100%
Democratic hold

2016

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2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Steve Cohen (Incumbent) 171,631 79%
Republican Wayne Alberson 41,123 18.9%
Independent Paul Cook 5,203 2.4%
Total votes 217,957 100%
Democratic hold

2018

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2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Steve Cohen (Incumbent) 145,139 80%
Republican Charlotte Bergmann 34,901 19.2%
Independent Leo AwGoWhat 1,436 0.8%
Total votes 181,476 100%
Democratic hold

2020

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2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Steve Cohen (Incumbent) 187,905 77.4%
Republican Charlotte Bergmann 48,818 20.1%
Independent Dennis Clark 3,962 1.6%
Independent Bobby Lyons 2,192 0.9%
Total votes 242,880 100%
Democratic hold

2022

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2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Steve Cohen (incumbent) 93,800 70.0%
Republican Charlotte Bergmann 35,123 26.2%
Independent George Flinn 3,349 2.5%
Independent Dennis Clark 1,160 0.8%
Independent Paul Cook 485 0.3%
Write-in Bobby Lyons 1 0.0%
Total votes 133,918 100%
Democratic hold

Historical district boundaries

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2003–2013
 
2013–2023
 
2023–present

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Congressional Districts Relationship Files (state-based)". www.census.gov. US Census Bureau Geography.
  2. ^ "My Congressional District". www.census.gov. Center for New Media & Promotion (CNMP), US Census Bureau.
  3. ^ "My Congressional District".
  4. ^ a b "2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List". Cook Political Report. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  5. ^ "U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES / TENNESSEE 09". America Votes 2006. CNN.
  6. ^ "2012 Election Results" (PDF). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. Retrieved October 23, 2022.
  7. ^ "2014 Election Results" (PDF). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. Retrieved October 23, 2022.
  8. ^ "2016 Election Results" (PDF). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. Retrieved October 23, 2022.
  9. ^ "2018 Election Results" (PDF). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. Retrieved October 23, 2022.
  10. ^ "2020 Election Results" (PDF). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. Retrieved October 23, 2022.

35°10′00″N 89°58′39″W / 35.16667°N 89.97750°W / 35.16667; -89.97750