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Civil rights groups file lawsuit over Tennessee’s redistricting maps | CNN Politics

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Civil rights groups file lawsuit over Tennessee’s redistricting maps | CNN Politics




CNN
 — 

Several civil and voting rights groups filed a lawsuit Wednesday against Republican Gov. Bill Lee and other state officials over Tennessee’s congressional and state Senate maps, which they allege are discriminatory and violate the constitutional rights of voters of color.

The lawsuit alleges that the Republican-controlled state legislature particularly diluted the voting power of Black residents through redistricting around Memphis and Nashville. The groups are asking the court to prevent the “calling, holding, supervising, or certifying any further election in the challenged districts” as they are currently structured.

With the filing, Tennessee joins several states facing redistricting challenges ahead of the 2024 election, which will determine control of the narrowly split US House of Representatives.

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“The maps approved by the Tennessee legislature intentionally erode the voices of communities of color in Tennessee,” Debby Gould, president of the League of Women Voters of Tennessee, said in a statement. The group is one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

Along with the League of Women Voters of Tennessee, the lawsuit was brought by Tennessee State Conference of the NAACP, The Equity Alliance, Memphis A. Philip Randolph Institute, African American Clergy Collective of Tennessee and five individuals.

The defendants listed in the lawsuit include Lee, Secretary of State Tre Hargett, the state’s election commission and seven members of the commission. CNN has reached out to Lee’s office. Hargett’s office directed CNN to the state attorney general’s office.

Brandon Smith, chief of staff to state Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, told CNN in an email that they had not yet been served with a complaint as of Thursday evening.

The lawsuit points to the former Democratic stronghold of Davidson County – which includes Nashville – being split into three separate congressional districts, a move the lawsuit claims “diluted the voting power” of the Black voting population and made the county more favorable to Republicans.

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Under the congressional map, which was signed into law in February 2022, Democrats lost a favorable district while Republicans gained one. As a result, the state now only has one Democrat-leaning congressional district left while there are eight districts that favor Republicans, CNN previously reported.

The groups are also challenging the new state Senate map that splits Shelby County, which includes Memphis. The lawsuit says the plan nearly halved the Black and Hispanic population of a Senate district, preventing voters of color from having “an opportunity to elect their candidates of choice.”

The lawsuit alleges that the state’s legislature, which advanced both plans in January 2022, did not give “meaningful consideration” to public testimony and “was well aware that its proposed redistricting changes in Davidson and Shelby Counties would dilute the votes of and adversely impact Black voters and other voters of color in those counties.”

Other redistricting challenges are also playing out in Alabama, North Carolina, Ohio, Georgia, Louisiana, New York and Texas. These fights have sparked national attention as the outcomes could determine whether Republicans hold onto or expand their razor-thin majority in the US House of Representatives.

Late last month, Alabama’s GOP-majority legislature approved new maps after the US Supreme Court said that an existing map likely violated federal voting law by diluting the voting power of Black residents. A federal court is expected to hear a challenge from civil rights groups later this month.

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Tennessee

How To Watch: Tennessee Volunteers Vs Florida Gators Basketball

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How To Watch: Tennessee Volunteers Vs Florida Gators Basketball


Tennessee is set to take on Florida Gators on Tuesday. This will be the battle of two star guards. Clayton vs Lanier will be one of the nation’s most intriguing battle.

Tennessee is set for their second SEC contest on Tuesday as they are set to take on the Florida Gators.

The Gators are entering as the 8th team in the nation despite losing their first game on Saturday. They lost by only six points to the Kentucky Wildcats.

On the other hand, the Vols are entering this week at No. 1 again. They blasted past the Arkansas Razorbacks 76-52 on Saturday. Thanks to Chaz Lanier the Vols dominated as Lanier had nearly 30 points. He finished right under the mark with 29 points on the day.

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Walter Clayton Jr vs. Chaz Lanier will be a battle that no one will want to miss and thankfully you won’t have to. Below are all of the viewing details for Tuesday’s game.

Make sure to follow our website Tennessee on SI.



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Full list of Tennessee Titans’ 2025 opponents

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Full list of Tennessee Titans’ 2025 opponents


The Tennessee Titans finished their 2024 campaign by losing to the Houston Texans and earning the No. 1 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. With the regular season now officially over, the final piece of the puzzle for the Titans’ 2025 opponents list has been finalized.

As a result of the NFL’s annually revolving schedule, the Titans will play nine home games and eight on the road. Exact dates and times will be determined later this offseason, including the team’s preseason opponents.

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Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

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Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Seattle Seahawks

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New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

Considering the Titans are playing a fourth-place schedule, this projects as a difficult home slate. The Chiefs, Rams, and Chargers qualified for the postseason. The Seahawks were the league’s lone 10-win team to miss the playoffs. The Patriots should be improved under Drake Maye and Mike Vrabel (kidding?) next season.

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Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

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Jacksonville Jaguars

Denver Broncos

Las Vegas Raiders

Arizona Cardinals

San Francisco 49ers

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Cleveland Browns

Tennessee’s road schedule features a ton of long road trips. Denver, Vegas, Arizona, and San Francisco will require the Titans to make some lengthy in-season flights. That’s somewhat concerning after players showed some cracks in difficult environments this season, with Jarvis Brownlee Jr. complaining about the cold in Washington, and Jeffery Simmons saying the team was “suffering from success” after improving to 3-8.

However, you should never assume the league is so static that the teams that were good or bad throughout 2024 will remain that way the following campaign. The NFL regular season schedule will be released at some point in May.



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Meet the 2024 Tennessee high school football all-state teams in Class 1A, 2A, 3A from TSWA

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Meet the 2024 Tennessee high school football all-state teams in Class 1A, 2A, 3A from TSWA


The Tennessee Sports Writers Association has released Division I all-state football teams for the 2024 TSSAA season.

Below are the all-state teams for Division I, Classes 1A, 2A and 3A.

Class 1A

Offense

Quarterbacks: Tate Surber, McKenzie, Sr.; Nate Adams, Clay County, Sr.; Brody Whittaker, MASE, Sr.

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Running backs: Grayson Kreis, Harriman, Sr.; JaMychal Buckner, South Pittsburg, Jr.; Marquis Gardner, Chattanooga Prep, Jr.

Wide receivers: Cole Brown, McKenzie, So.; Nolan Adams, Clay County, Jr.; Ja’Quan Benton, Oliver Springs, Jr.

Offensive linemen: Jamarkus Pittman, MASE, Sr.; Kelan Roberson, Union City, Sr.; Noah Young, Cloudland, Sr.; Aydan Blair, Moore County, Sr.; Xavier Reviere, South Pittsburg, Jr.

Athlete: Amari Cotton, Jo Byrns, Sr.

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Kicker: Skyler Fornera, McKenzie, Sr.

Defense

Defensive linemen: Caden Jackson, Oliver Springs, Sr.; Caleb Carroll, Wartburg, Sr.; J.R. Hardrick, South Pittsburg, Jr.; Peyton Martin, Moore County, Sr.

Linebackers: Eli Justice, Coalfield, Sr.; Zac Mahoney, Harriman, Sr.; Stanley Burrow, MASE, Sr.; Akeem Hunt, MASE, So.

Defensive backs: Dayon Cooper, South Pittsburg, So.; Bennett McDougal, Whitwell, Sr.; Devonte Wigfall, Cosby, Sr.; Kaidence Nelson, MASE, So.

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Punter: Khari Escobar, Sale Creek, Sr.

Class 2A

Offense

Quarterbacks: Andrew Johnson, Fairley, Jr.; Kason William Young, East Robertson, So.; Tilton Pickett, Marion County, Sr.

Running backs: Jaydon Peete, Milan, Jr.; Cooper White, Westmoreland, Sr.; Dominique Burleson, Hampton, Sr.

Wide receivers: Troyce Grimsley, Fairley, Jr.; Corben Reynolds, Loretto, Jr.; Sam Pickett, Marion County, Sr.

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Offensive linemen: Zach Bruggner, Bledsoe County, Sr.; David Lands, Polk County, Sr.; Ben Parr, Milan, Sr.; Bra’Kyrin Cole, Jackson Central-Merry, Sr.; Caleb Woodley, Fairley, Sr.; Hunter Gray, Westmoreland, Sr.

Athlete: Gray Eubanks, Huntingdon, Sr.

Defense

Defensive linemen: Delandis Dandridge, Fairley, Sr.; Kenderrius Robertson, Mitchell, Sr.; Myles Mays, Marion County, Sr.; Zach Groves, East Robertson, Jr.

Linebackers: Taylor Scharber, Marion County, Sr.; Evan Plunkett, Mt. Pleasant, Sr.; Ryan Shaffer, Tellico Plains, Sr.; Quint Smith, Summertown, Sr.

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Defensive backs: Austin Franklin, West Greene, Sr.; Lake Drake, York Institute, Sr.; Levi James, Oneida, Sr.; Braden Reed, Tellico Plains, Sr.

Punter: Braydon Case, Mt. Pleasant, Jr.

Class 3A

Offense

Quarterbacks: Graham Simpson, Westview, Fr.; Eli Graf, Alcoa, Sr.; Xavier Murray, White House Heritage, So.

Running backs: Skylan Smith, Covington, Sr.; Lorenz Wright, Memphis East, Jr.; Hicks Hunter, Sycamore, Jr.

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Wide receivers: Dontez Joy, Westview, Jr.; Jamir Dean, Alcoa, So.; Radarious Jackson, Sheffield, Sr.

Offensive linemen: Jayden Jackson, East Nashville, Sr.; Josh Phelps, Sequatchie County, Sr.; Lucas Hughes, Meigs County, Jr. ; Jacob Crow, Alcoa, Jr.; Evan Allen, Gatlinburg-Pittman, Sr.; Marlee Watts, Alcoa, So.

Athlete: Ronye Watson, Chattanooga Central, Sr.Kicker: Kyrin Tyson, Alcoa, Jr.

Defense

Defensive linemen: Jaeden Isbell, Tyner, Sr.; Jamir Turner, Alcoa, Sr.; Deangelo Franklin, Sheffield, Jr.; Jaxon Cupples, Westview, Jr.

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Linebackers: Kason Hicks, Sequatchie County, Jr.; Sam Cretsinger, Johnson County, Sr.; Eli Owens, Alcoa, Sr.; Craig Huskey, Gatlinburg-Pittman, Jr.

Defensive backs: Condis Cherry, Alcoa, So.; Dason Springer, White House Heritage, Sr.; Antoni Morton, East Nashville, Sr.; Hunter Minton, Sequatchie County, So.

Punter: Grant Garner, Liberty Creek, So.



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