# Tennessee's 9th congressional district

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+22, it is the only Democratic district in Tennessee. 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:
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 |
| 2008 | President | Obama 73% - 26% |
| 2012 | President | Obama 74% - 26% |
| 2016 | President | Clinton 72% - 25% |
| 2018 | Senate | Bredesen 75% - 23% |
| 2018 | Governor | Dean 70% - 26% |
| 2020 | President | Biden 73% - 25% |
| 2020 | Senate | Bradshaw 71% - 26% |
| 2022 | Governor | Martin 65% - 33% |
| 2024 | President | Harris 70% - 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. 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) | Democratic-Republican | March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825 | 18th 19th | Elected in 1823. Re-elected in 1825. Lost re-election. |
| Adam R. Alexander (Jackson) | Jacksonian | March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1827 | 18th 19th | Elected in 1823. Re-elected in 1825. Lost re-election. |
| Davy Crockett (Crockett) | Jacksonian | March 4, 1827 – March 3, 1829 | 20th 21st | Elected in 1827. Re-elected in 1829. Lost re-election. |
| Davy Crockett (Crockett) | Anti-Jacksonian | March 4, 1829 – March 3, 1831 | 20th 21st | Elected in 1827. Re-elected in 1829. Lost re-election. |
| 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. |
| James K. Polk (Columbia) | Democratic | March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1839 | 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. |
| 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. |
| Emerson Etheridge (Dresden) | Know Nothing | March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857 | 33rd 34th | Elected in 1853. Re-elected in 1855. Lost re-election. |
| 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 | 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 | 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 119th | 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. |

## Recent election results
### 2012

2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee :
| Party | 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 | Total votes | Total votes | 250,987 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2014

2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee :
| Party | 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 | Total votes | Total votes | 116,550 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2016

2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee :
| Party | 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 | Total votes | Total votes | 217,957 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2018

2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee :
| Party | 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 | Total votes | Total votes | 181,476 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2020

2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee :
| Party | 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 | Total votes | Total votes | 242,880 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2022

2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee :
| Party | 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 | Total votes | Total votes | 133,918 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2024

2024 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Steve Cohen (incumbent) | 159,522 | 71.3% |
| | Republican | Charlotte Bergman | 57,411 | 25.7% |
| | Independent | William Wells | 3,708 | 1.7% |
| | Independent | Dennis Clark | 3,062 | 1.4% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 223,703 | 100.00% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |