On The Ninth Congressional District (Dissolution)

(Photo: NatAtlas) Revised

This is it.

When U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen wins the Democratic primary next week and, by default, the general election in November, he'll be around for awhile.

Who would challenge him? Nikki Tinker has already recycled herself once.

There is no one else unless A C Wharton or Willie Herenton decided to do it and that's unlikely, which means that Cohen will benefit since no one waiting in the wings will be qualified enough two years from now--and even then Cohen and his experience argument will be stronger.

So, unless Cohen does something incredibly stupid and/or darn near impossible like run for Senate or impose a term limit, he'll be representing the Ninth for years.

And to that end, it'll raise a significant question: should the Ninth, as presently configured, exist at all?

I'm just sayin, strong black voter registration, as well as white flight, in the 1970s helped make the district what it is now. As a result, the state had its first black Congressmen--Harold Ford Sr. and later his son, Junior--and the congressional delegation began to be as diverse as the state's population.

Yet, with Cohen, that diversity is irrelevant.

What's interesting is that his incumbency is seen as a progressive statement, that blacks no longer feel the need to have that congressional diversity.

And if that's the case--and noted Civil Rights leaders will tell you that it is--then does the Ninth District really need to be a special district?

I argue that it doesn't. Redistrict it. Dissolve it.

Let our Democratic majority battle with the Republicans for the soul of the state in the 7th Congressional District--that is, if diversity no longer matters as it pertains to race.

Yet, race does matter but the Ninth has abdicated its role in ensuring that diversity occurs.

So, if another qualified black candidate arises, he or she will do so somewhere else in Tennessee, where he or she can pull a Cohen and make a vote for them seem progressive and forward-thinking.

Because when that mental flip happens, there's really no going back--at least not for black folks since we foolishly deem ourselves racist for wanting the state's congressional representation to be diverse in all aspects--ideology, gender and, yes, race.

And no, we aren't grooming anyone else who is even close to being qualified. Sada tai.

This is it. The end.

ON ANOTHER NOTE, the numbers thus far:

Only 2.8% (17,589) of Registered Shelby County voters have exercised their right to vote as of Tuesday, July 29, 2008.


Black (7,718 or 43.9%)
White (6,618 or 37.6%)
Other (3,253 or 18.5%)

Republican (5,291 or 30.1%)
Democratic (12,093 or 68.8%)
No Party (205 or 1.2%)

Male (7,293 or 41.5%)
Female (10,296 or 58.5%)