Loooonnnnggg time Dem dinosaur Rep. Steve Cohen turned emotional over the loss of his seat in Tennessee.
The Volunteer State’s redistricting battle made nationwide news after Republicans redrew district maps that essentially pushed out Cohen, who had been the state’s only Democrat in the state’s congressional delegation.
Cohen announced the end of his re-election bid on Friday and later talked about his decision on News Nation with Chris Cuomo.
“I don’t want to quit. I’m not a quitter. But these districts were drawn to beat me,” Cohen said Friday.
Cuomo, who appeared equally upset, told Cohen the move made by Republicans was not good for democracy.
“I’m upset by this,” Cuomo said. “And I don’t get the criticism of stand and fight.”
“Why would you fight when they changed the district and there aren’t enough votes for you to win? That’s silly.”
“Well, the House of Representatives is the people’s house, and theoretically, people are elected from districts that are compact and have common interests and that a representative can serve,” Cohen responded.
“Because the areas, and sometimes they have to be longer because of smaller population bases — but they should have districts that have things in common. What the Republicans did and the Democrats did a little bit in response is to try to get an advantage this year. Mid-decade redistricting is almost never done and Tennessee had a statute making it illegal since 1971.”
Cohen went on to bash President Trump for “criminal behavior.”
“This is the most criminal behavior we’ve ever seen in the White House. I think you take all the criminal behavior before in the history of presidents it doesn’t equal what Donald Trump has done just in this term,” he said.
Cohen, who presided over Memphis, a city inarguably in decline for decades under this tenor, became emotional with an assist from Cuomo.
“What your service meant to that community, and that they needed it especially in that state, and it was taken, and it was unfair,” Cuomo said.
“I’ve got a great district. Wonderful people,” Cohen responded. “They’ve supported me so well. You know it’s an amazing thing that African American communities supported me for 20 years like they did, and the Republicans don’t see it, and they just tear it apart, because they have no perspective of caring about African Americans or caring about people getting together and anything nice that happens. It’s a tough sport, and they play it tough.”
Cohen’s seat is widely believed to be won by a Republican — a black, female Republican at that. It will be interesting to watch the changes in and around Memphis with new leadership.
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