Tennessee

Judges dismiss suit alleging Tennessee's political maps discriminate against communities of color

Published

4 months ago

August 22, 2024

Judges dismiss suit alleging Tennessee's political maps discriminate against communities of color

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A federal judicial panel has dismissed a lawsuit alleging that Tennessee’s U.S. House maps and those for the state Senate amount to unconstitutional racial gerrymandering.

“In sum, the complaint alleges facts that are consistent with a racial gerrymander,” stated the ruling, which was issued Wednesday. “But the facts are also consistent with a political gerrymander.”

The complaint was the first court challenge over a 2022 congressional redistricting map that carved up Democratic-leaning Nashville to help Republicans flip a seat in last year’s elections, a move that critics claimed was done to dilute the power of Black voters and other communities of color in one of the state’s few Democratic strongholds.

The lawsuit also challenged state Senate District 31 in majority-Black Shelby County, including part of Memphis, using similar arguments and saying that the white voting age population went up under the new maps. A Republican now holds that seat.

However, the three federal judges who wrote the ruling argued there was another clear motivation behind Tennessee’s Republican state legislative supermajority by pointing to “naked partisanship” as the likely “straightforward explanation.”

In 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that disputes over partisan gerrymandering of congressional and legislative districts are none of its business, limiting those claims to state courts under their own constitutions and laws. Most recently, the high court upheld South Carolina’s congressional map in a 6-3 decision that said the state General Assembly did not use race to draw districts based on the 2020 Census.

In Tennessee’s case, the plaintiffs included the Tennessee State Conference of the NAACP, the African American Clergy Collective of Tennessee, the Equity Alliance, the League of Women Voters of Tennessee and several Tennessee voters, including former Democratic state Sen. Brenda Gilmore.

After Nashville was splintered into three congressional districts, former Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper of Nashville declined to seek reelection, claiming he couldn’t win under the new layout. Ultimately, Rep. John Rose won reelection by about 33 percentage points, Rep. Mark Green won another term by 22 points, and Rep. Andy Ogles won his first term by 13 points in the district vacated by Cooper.

Tennessee now has eight Republicans in the U.S. House, with just one Democrat left in Memphis Rep. Steve Cohen.

In the original complaint, the plaintiffs argued that all three of the “candidates of choice” for minority voters lost their congressional bids in the Nashville area in 2022.

The judges countered that the lawsuit had to “more than plausibly allege that Tennessee’s legislators knew that their Republican-friendly map would harm voters who preferred Democratic candidates—including the higher percentage of minority voters who preferred those candidates.”

The judges did reject Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti’s argument that the plaintiffs had waited too long to file their challenge and also declared that the plaintiffs did not have to come up with their own map in their legal challenge. In their dismissal, the judges said the complaint could be refiled over the next 30 days as long as it was amended to “plausibly disentangle race from politics.”

Republicans celebrated the ruling, with House Speaker Cameron Sexton’s office issuing a statement saying they were “happy to have resolution on this matter so that we can focus on what’s ahead for Tennessee.”

Notably, the ruling briefly weighed in on ongoing controversies that have surrounded the Republican-dominant Statehouse, where Democrats have alleged racial discrimination in both the legislative policies enacted and actions that their GOP colleagues have taken recently.

Ranging from the brief expulsion of two young Black Democratic lawmakers to passing legislation aimed at slashing the left-leaning Nashville’s city council, the plaintiffs’ complaint provided several examples that they claimed as evidence of a “discriminatory motive.”

The court countered that the examples had “little to do with redistricting” but did note that they suggest the “possibility of misconduct.”

Meanwhile, Tennessee’s state legislative maps still face another lawsuit on state constitutional grounds.

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Tennessee

Ohio State Shows Major Resolve in CFP Win Over Tennessee

Published

2 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Press Room

Ohio State Shows Major Resolve in CFP Win Over Tennessee

The Ohio State Buckeyes’ loss to the Michigan Wolverines now feels like ages ago.

Ohio State went into its first-round College Football Playoff matchup against the Tennessee Volunteers with major question marks.

Will Howard was under fire. The play calling was in the crosshairs. Ryan Day’s job security had become a regular topic of discussion.

But then, the Buckeyes hammered Tennessee by a score of 42-17 to advance to the Rose Bowl for a chance for revenge against the Oregon Ducks.

Ohio State put together arguably its best performance of the season against a very tough Tennessee opponent. The Buckeyes scored 21 points in the first quarter, immediately sending a message to the Volunteers—and the country—that they meant business.

Howard, who looked like a deer in headlights in the regular-season finale against Michigan, stepped up with a significant performance. Yes, there was the red zone interception, but in the end, it was no harm, no foul (he probably shouldn’t do that against Oregon, though).

Jeremiah Smith looked every bit of the phenom we all thought he was heading into 2024. The defense was tremendous. Day? He coached a terrific game.

But the most impressive part of this showing by Ohio State was the resolve that it demonstrated, picking itself up off the mat after a soul-crushing defeat to the Wolverines earlier in the month.

I have to admit: I wasn’t sure if the Buckeyes had this in them. Not after they mustered just 10 points against a far inferior Michigan opponent, a game in which they were physically beaten up.

And considering that Tennessee’s defense was even stingier than Michigan’s this year, I certainly didn’t anticipate that Ohio State would drop 42 points.

Nevertheless, here we are.

A couple of weeks ago, it was beginning to look like the Buckeyes wouldn’t even have a chance against Oregon. Heck, there were some who felt that the Volunteers would beat them.

It wasn’t due to a lack of talent, either. It was more due to the thought that Ohio State lacked an identity and didn’t seem to have the mental fortitude required to win a national championship.

Remember: the Buckeyes also lost to the Ducks earlier in the season as a result of some mental erros and not being able to seal the deal.

So the concerns surrounding Ohio State heading into the College Football Playoff were legitimate.

But the Buckeyes appear to have flipped a switch, and it appears that their tenacity has finally matched their excessive talent.

Now, we’ll see if Ohio State can exact revenge on Oregon in the Rose Bowl.

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Tennessee-Ohio State live updates: How to watch, predictions, odds for CFP game

Published

10 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Press Room

Tennessee-Ohio State live updates: How to watch, predictions, odds for CFP game

The first round of the College Football Playoff is nearly complete, with the final game of the slate featuring Ohio State vs. Tennessee in “The Shoe.”

Two of the most recognizable brands in college football, Tennessee and Ohio State arrive in the 12-team playoff with at-large bids, falling just short of reaching their respective conference championship games and snatching one of the top four byes in the bracket.

Tennessee will be making its first playoff after going 10-2, which included a win over Alabama that likely is the reason why the Volunteers are in the playoff. No strangers to the playoff, Ohio State arrives with a fan base that isn’t all too thrilled with head coach Ryan Day after losing a fourth consecutive year to Michigan. A national championship is still possible, but the pressure is on for Day to deliver a deep playoff run and possibly save his job. Will the Buckeyes get a much-needed win, or will Tennessee pull off the upset in front of more than 100,000 fans?

It’s the second time Tennessee and Ohio State have faced each other, and the winner of the first-round finale has a tough date ahead of them. The victor will head west to Pasadena to play No. 1 overall seed Oregon in the “Granddaddy of them all,” the Rose Bowl Game on New Year’s Day.

When is the College Football Playoff between Tennessee and Ohio State

The College Football Playoff first-round game between the No. 9-seed Tennessee Volunteers and the No. 8-seed Ohio State Buckeyes kicks off at 8 p.m. ET at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio

How to watch College Football Playoff between Tennessee and Ohio State

The College Football Playoff first-round game between the No. 9-seed Tennessee Volunteers and the No. 8-seed Ohio State Buckeyes will be televised nationally on ABC and ESPN.

Live streaming is also available on Fubo, which offers a free trial.

Catch Tennessee vs. Ohio State with a Fubo subscription which has a free trial

The Ohio State Buckeyes are the favorites to defeat the Tennessee Volunteers in this first-round College Football Playoff game, according to the BetMGM college football odds on Saturday.

Spread: Ohio State (-7)
Moneyline: Ohio State (-275); Tennessee (+220)
Over/under: 46.5

USA TODAY Sports: No. 8 Ohio State over No. 9 Tennessee

Paul Myerberg writes: “This is the premier pairing of the opening round and a nice barometer of how playoff games could unfold between the best of the best in the Big Ten and SEC. Given two evenly matched teams with similar traits, two factors will make the difference in Ohio State’s favor: homefield advantage and a more credible offense. Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard has more experience and better skill options. But another big game from Volunteers signal caller Nico Iamaleava could easily shift this game in the opposite direction.”

ESPN: Ohio State has 65% chance to win

According to ESPN’s Matchup Predictor, the Ohio State Buckeyes have a 65.5% chance to beat the Tennessee Volunteers in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

College Football Network: Ohio State 27, Tennessee 23

Will Helms writes: “To be clear, I think Ohio State’s offense is capable of moving the ball down the field through the air, but Tennessee’s defensive line could feast against a reshuffled Buckeyes O-line. But I also trust (offensive coordinator Chip) Kelly to find ways to scheme open elite playmakers like Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka. If this becomes a close game, Ohio State’s experience can make a difference. However, I like the Volunteers as one of the best bets of the opening round. The Buckeyes’ experience and depth should help them close this out, but take the Volunteers to cover in a close one that ticks over.”

Sports Illustrated: Tennessee Volunteers

James Parks writes: “Tennessee +7.5 … We’re taking the Vols to win straight-up on the road given their outright advantage on a very dominant defensive front, which should overpower a Buckeyes offensive line down two key starters to injury, while Dylan Sampson and Tennessee’s gifted ground game do the rest.”

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NFL Change Doesn’t Bother Titans Legend Eddie George

Published

18 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Press Room

NFL Change Doesn’t Bother Titans Legend Eddie George

It has been a long time since Tennessee Titans fans were able to watch legendary running back Eddie George run the football. He was a fan favorite for years and was one of the best backs in the league during his era.

Now, he has become the head coach for Tennessee State in college.

With that being said, George still opens up about the NFL. He recently talked about his thoughts on the state of the league.

Touchdown Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. did an interview with George where he shared his opinion on where the league currently stands. He is clearly a fan of what he is seeing despite all of the changes that the NFL has made.

“Oh yeah, I mean, it’s (the NFL) changed over the years to become safer, and I get it,” George said. “But the quality of the game is still the same. I love it.”

In a time where so many former players are unhappy with how “soft” the league has become, George stands out as a big fan of the changes. While the NFL has changed a lot, the product being put on the field is still good football and entertaining to watch.

Throughout his NFL career, George was known as a bruising running back. He was a nightmare for opposing defenders to tackle.

He ended up playing in 141 career game, racking up 2,865 carries for 10,441 yards and 68 touchdowns. George averaged 3.6 yards per carry in a much tougher era to run the football.

George also ended up catching 268 passes for 2,227 yards and 10 more touchdowns.

As for the current state of the Titans, things do not look great. Will Levis has been benched ahead of Week 16 and there is expected to be a search for a new quarterback during the upcoming offseason.

So far this season, Tennessee has mustered up a brutal 3-11 record. There hasn’t been much for the fans to cheer about.

Hopefully, the Titans can figure things out and get back into playoff contention. George and the fans would then be able to enjoy football with their team winning again.

Make sure you bookmark Tennessee Titans on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

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