TN: Challengers seek restraining orders for new voting map as US House candidate deadline approaches

A federal judge on Thursday denied a temporary restraining order requested by Democratic U.S. House candidates, the Tennessee Democratic Party and voters as part of a lawsuit arguing that allowing the new district lines to take effect would cause chaos and confusion for voters just three months before the Aug. 6 primary election.

U.S. District Court Judge William Campbell, a President Donald Trump appointee, also canceled an initial hearing for the case, which he previously set for May 20, five days after the new qualifying deadline.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee requested a restraining order on Wednesday in a separate lawsuit, citing an immediate need to “preserve the status quo” while awaiting the assignment of a three-judge panel to handle the case. The organization’s lawsuit argues that the new map, which eliminates Tennessee’s only majority-Black and majority-Democrat district, shows racial discrimination and First Amendment retaliation against Black voters.

The Tennessee General Assembly’s Republican supermajority passed the new district map last week after a whirlwind special legislative session called by Gov. Bill Lee at Trump’s instruction. Lawmakers also passed new rules for the 2026 U.S. House election setting a May 15 deadline for candidates to qualify, cement which district they are running in or bow out of the race. Campaigns for U.S. House seats were already underway before the special session, which was called weeks after the election’s original March 10 qualifying deadline.



https://tennesseelookout.com/2026/05/14/challengers-seek-restraining-orders-for-new-voting-map-as-us-house-candidate-deadline-approaches/