State Sen. London Lamar officially launched her campaign for Tennessee’s 9th Congressional District on Tuesday, May 26, during a kickoff event at Hickory Ridge Mall in Memphis.
Supporters, community leaders, media members and local residents gathered at the Elite Performance Foundation inside Hickory Ridge Mall as Lamar, a Democrat, formally announced her bid for the U.S. House seat representing a portion of Memphis and a district that now stretches 770 square miles. surrounding communities.
The morning event included remarks from Lamar outlining her vision for the district and her plans to advocate for Memphis on the national stage.
“This campaign is about fighting for our families, protecting Memphis’ voice and bringing real resources back home,” Lamar said during the announcement.
Lamar currently serves as Chairwoman of the Tennessee Senate Democratic Caucus and represents Tennessee Senate District 33, a position she has held since 2022. Before joining the Senate, she served in the Tennessee House of Representatives for District 91 from 2018 to 2022.
Her campaign will center heavily on affordability and improving quality of life for Tennesseans, Lamar said. Key priorities include expanding access to affordable healthcare, addressing housing challenges and advocating for resources that directly benefit working families.
Lamar enters what is expected to become one of Tennessee’s most closely watched congressional races following recent redistricting changes that reshaped District 9 and sparked criticism from civil rights groups and voting advocates who argue the changes dilute Black voting power in Memphis. Multiple lawsuits challenging the newly approved maps are currently pending in court.
Following the Legislature’s decision to redraw Tennessee’s congressional maps, Lamar said the new District 9 closely mirrors the communities she already serves in the state Senate.
“When the legislature decided to redraw the maps, I looked at it and realized that the majority of the new Congressional District 9 is my Senate district,” Lamar said. “So, essentially, I’m already running to continue representing and engaging with many of the people I already serve.”
Steve Cohen, who has represented District 9 for nearly 20 years, recently announced he will not seek re-election following the redistricting overhaul.
Lamar will face a Democratic primary field that already includes State Rep. Justin J. Pearson, who announced his congressional campaign before the new redistricting maps were approved. Also running in the Democratic primary are M. LaTroy Alexandria-Williams. Dennis Jeffrey Clark is running as an Independent.
On the Republican side, Shelby County Commissioner Brent Taylor has also entered the race. Taylor, one of the architects and vocal supporters behind the recent redistricting effort, announced his congressional campaign one day after Gov. Bill Lee signed the legislation into law.
