Steve Cohen Announces Retirement from Congress
"This is by far the most difficult moment I've had as an elected official."
— Representative Steve Cohen
Representative Steve Cohen (D-TN) announced his retirement from Congress on Friday, effective at the end of his current term. Since 2007, Cohen has represented Tennessee's 9th congressional district, making him the state's only Democratic member of Congress.
Cohen attributed his decision to redistricting by the Republican-controlled Tennessee legislature, which split the Memphis area into multiple districts that lean more Republican. He stated the new districts "are nothing like the ninth district" he has represented, which is majority African-American. Cohen said he will retire from public life.
Background
Cohen served on several key committees, including the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the House Judiciary Committee, and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. He was also the first Jewish person elected to Congress from Tennessee and led passage of a resolution issuing the first formal apology for slavery in the United States.
Praise from Leadership
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries praised Cohen's work on civil rights, noting he led hearings on the Voting Rights Act, police reform, and racial justice.