Republican supermajority

Tennessee allows adults to purchase potent ivermectin without a doctor's visit, with pharmacies using pre-written prescriptions. The drug, promoted by anti-vaccine groups during the pandemic, is now marketed for unproven uses like diabetes and cancer. A Republican-led law in 2022 enabled this, sparking similar legislation in other states.

The article compares Tennessee's current political landscape to the 1964 Mississippi Freedom Summer, highlighting efforts to challenge political redistricting and voter disengagement. It notes Tennessee's electorate is 48% independent and 1.7 million voters sat out the 2024 cycle, suggesting political fluidity and potential for democratic renewal.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed legislation granting political appointees control over Memphis-Shelby County Schools through a nine-person oversight board. The board, appointed by top state Republicans, will oversee academic challenges, budgets, and district operations, reducing local control. Critics argue the move undermines Memphis' Democratic-leaning community and ignores socioeconomic factors affecting school performance.

Tennessee election officials are adjusting voter rolls for an August 2026 primary after the state legislature passed a redrawn congressional district map in May 2026. The new map eliminates Tennessee’s only majority-Black district and splits Shelby County into three districts, with officials working under a tight timeline and legal challenges.

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen announced he will not run in any of Tennessee's three gerrymandered districts containing parts of Memphis after the state's Republican supermajority passed a redrawn congressional map. Cohen, a plaintiff in a federal lawsuit challenging the new map, stated the districts were drawn to weaken his electoral chances and expressed difficulty in representing the fragmented districts.