Steve Cohen

Current office and 2026 campaign

Steve Cohen, a member of the Democratic Party, currently serves as the U.S. Representative for Tennessee's 9th Congressional District ¹. He assumed office on January 3, 2007, and his current term is scheduled to end on January 3, 2027 ¹. The district encompasses parts of Shelby and Tipton counties in southwest Tennessee, with Memphis as its largest population center ¹⁵.

Cohen has declared his candidacy for re-election to the U.S. House in the 2026 cycle ¹. He is set to run in the Democratic primary scheduled for August 6, 2026 ¹. The general election for Tennessee's nine congressional seats will be held on November 3, 2026 ¹⁹.

Recent developments involve Cohen's opposition to a newly proposed congressional map released by Tennessee Republicans on May 6, 2026 ¹⁹. This proposal aims to divide Shelby County into three districts, which would alter the composition of the 9th District ²¹. Cohen has stated that he plans to file a lawsuit against the redistricting plan, arguing it targets the state's lone majority-Black district ²¹. He previously expressed concern over similar legislative efforts, describing them as a "wholesale destruction of democratic representation" ⁸.

Background and education

Stephen Ira Cohen was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on May 24, 1949 ¹⁷. He is a fourth-generation Memphian who has dedicated his life to public service in Memphis and Shelby County ⁹. As a child, Cohen contracted polio at the age of five, spending months in the hospital and many more years on crutches, an experience he states forged resilience and determination ²⁰.

Cohen earned a bachelor's degree from Vanderbilt University in 1971 and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the University of Memphis School of Law ¹. He filed to run for office on the same day he first registered to vote, shortly after his 21st birthday ¹².

Career

Before entering elected office, Cohen worked as a private-practice attorney in Memphis ¹⁰. He also served as a legal advisor for the Memphis Police Department ¹⁰. In 1976 and 1977, he was elected to the Tennessee State constitutional convention, where he was elected Vice President at age 28 ²⁰.

Cohen earned a bachelor's degree from Vanderbilt University in 1971 and a J.D. from the University of Memphis School of Law ¹¹⁷. He is a fourth-generation Memphian ⁹¹².

Office history

Steve Cohen was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2006, succeeding Harold Ford Jr., and assumed office on January 3, 2007 ¹¹⁷. He represents Tennessee's 9th Congressional District, a seat located in the southwest corner of the state that includes parts of Shelby and Tipton counties and is centered on Memphis ²¹⁵. Cohen has been re-elected to this position in subsequent cycles, including victories in 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2022 ⁵⁷³⁶. In the 2024 general election, he secured another term after winning the Democratic primary on August 1, 2024, with his current term ending on January 3, 2027 ¹⁴.

Prior to his congressional service, Cohen served in the Tennessee Senate from the 30th district for 24 years, holding office from January 11, 1983, until December 1, 2006 ¹⁷¹⁸. He was preceded in that state senate seat by Jim White and succeeded by Shea Flinn ¹⁷¹⁸. Before his election to the state senate, Cohen served as a Shelby County Commissioner and as a Memphis Police Legal Advisor ¹⁰. He also served as Vice President of the Tennessee State constitutional convention during his tenure from 1976 to 1977 ²⁰.

Cohen has not lost any general elections for federal office since assuming his House seat in 2007. In the 2014 Democratic primary, he defeated Ricky Wilkins and Isaac Richmond before defeating Charlotte Bergmann in the general election ⁷. In 2016, he defeated Wayne Alberson and Paul Cook in the general election after winning the primary against Larry Crim and Justin Ford ⁵. He won the 2018 general election against Republican Charlotte Bergmann and Independent Leo AwGoWhat with 80.0% of the vote ³. In 2022, he won re-election as the district was rated "Solid Democratic" by multiple political analysis groups ⁶.

Legislative record and accomplishments

Steve Cohen has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since January 3, 2007, representing Tennessee’s 9th Congressional District ¹. Prior to his congressional tenure, he served as a Tennessee State Senator from the 30th district for 24 years, holding office from 1983 to 2006 ¹⁷. Cohen was appointed to the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, during the 112th Congress ¹⁰.

In the House, Cohen serves on the House Judiciary Committee, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and the House Committee on Oversight and Reform ¹⁰. He holds the position of Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice ¹⁴.

Cohen has focused legislative efforts on preserving voting rights in Tennessee’s 9th District. Following the passage of a new congressional map that split Shelby County, Cohen filed a lawsuit seeking to delay the legislation until the 2028 elections ¹⁶. He has publicly criticized the Tennessee General Assembly for what he described as the "wholesale destruction of democratic representation" and a racially suspect gerrymander ⁸.

On infrastructure and disaster relief, Cohen secured $3.1 million through the annual appropriations process for the restoration of the Historic Clayborn Temple, which was damaged by fire ⁸. He has also urged state officials to submit requests for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance for Shelby County following severe weather events, including a winter storm in January 2026 and subsequent damage assessments exceeding $6.6 million ¹¹.

Documented disputes and controversies

Cohen has publicly characterized the redistricting of Tennessee’s 9th Congressional District as a partisan effort to disenfranchise Black voters, stating that the General Assembly engaged in the "wholesale destruction of democratic representation" ⁸⁹¹³. Following the passage of new congressional maps by Republican leaders and their signing into law by Governor Bill Lee, Cohen filed a lawsuit seeking to delay the legislation's implementation until the 2028 elections ¹⁶. He argued that the proposed map would separate Shelby County into three districts, thereby eliminating the state’s only majority-Black district ²¹.

In response to the redistricting changes, Cohen deployed resources to protect voting rights in his district, including securing $3.15 million through the annual appropriations process for the restoration of the Historic Clayborn Temple, a site central to the 1968 sanitation workers' strike ⁸¹⁶. He also praised the U.S. Department of Justice’s decision to deploy election monitors to Shelby County for the November 8, 2016 general election, asserting that the right to vote is "absolutely central to our democracy" and that no American should be disenfranchised ¹⁴.

Business interests and wealth source

Steve Cohen is a fourth-generation Memphian who worked as a private-practice attorney in Memphis prior to his election to Congress ¹⁰. He earned a bachelor's degree from Vanderbilt University in 1971 and a J.D. from the University of Memphis School of Law ¹. Before serving in the U.S. House, Cohen held various public office roles, including serving as a Memphis Police Legal Advisor, a Shelby County Commissioner, and a Tennessee State Senator for 24 years ¹⁰. He also served as Vice President of the Tennessee State constitutional convention at age 28 ²⁰.

Specific details regarding Cohen's personal business interests, ownership stakes in private companies, or the specific sources of his family wealth are not provided in the available source materials. The provided texts focus on his legislative career, political service history, and public policy advocacy rather than his personal financial disclosures or commercial holdings ¹¹⁰.

Family

Steve Cohen is a fourth-generation Memphian ⁹. He self-describes his life story as one of resilience and determination, noting that he contracted polio at age five, which required months in the hospital and extensive time on crutches ²⁰. Cohen states that this hardship forged his character and shaped his career as a legislator who overcomes obstacles through persistence ¹².

The provided sources do not contain information regarding his spouse, children, or other family members in politics.

Sources