State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) on Thursday officially submitted paperwork for his candidacy to represent Tennessee’s newly redrawn 9th Congressional District with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), challenging U.S. Representative Steve Cohen (D-TN-09) for a seat Democrats have held for over 50 years.
In a campaign announcement posted to social media, Taylor revealed immediate endorsements from U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Bill Hagerty (R-TN).
“We are at a defining moment in Tennessee’s history and an even more pivotal moment for the future of our country,” wrote Taylor in a post to X. “I’m running for Tennessee’s Ninth Congressional District to stand with [President Donald Trump] and cement Tennessee’s conservative legacy for generations to come.”
Taylor announced the endorsements from Blackburn and Hagerty in a campaign press release attached to his social media post.
We are at a defining moment in Tennessee’s history and an even more pivotal moment for the future of our country.
I’m running for Tennessee’s Ninth Congressional District to stand with @realdonaldtrump and cement Tennessee’s conservative legacy for generations to come.
Thank… pic.twitter.com/WFxR51tV6S
— Brent Taylor (@BrentTaylorTN) May 7, 2026
“I have vowed to make Tennessee America’s conservative leader,” said Blackburn in her endorsement. “Electing Brent Taylor to serve Tennessee’s Ninth Congressional District is how we get that done.”
She stated, “I’ve had the privilege of working with Senator Taylor for many years now, and one thing has remained true: he loves Tennessee, he’s ready for the job, and he’s exactly who President Trump needs in Washington.”
Fresh off the heels of a gubernatorial poll that found Blackburn with a 50-point lead, the senator reiterated her endorsement of Taylor in her own post to social media, encouraging her supporters to back the state lawmaker, who she said will become “a fearless conservative leader for Tennessee.”
My friend, @BrentTaylorTN, will be a fearless conservative leader for Tennessee. I hope you'll join me in supporting his campaign and sending another fighter for @realDonaldTrump’s America First agenda to Washington! pic.twitter.com/vWNtXj57rd
— Marsha Blackburn (@VoteMarsha) May 7, 2026
In his endorsement, Hagerty similarly argued Taylor would be an effective congressman for Memphis.
Hagerty stated, “Memphis’ Ninth Congressional District has long been undeserved in Congress with ineffective representation. It’s time for that to change, and Brent Taylor has shown from the moment he was first elected that he is focused on Making Memphis Matter.”
The senator added, “By sending him to Congress, Memphis will have a conservative fighter who will stand up for our communities and deliver results where they matter most.”
In the first press release of his congressional campaign, Taylor highlighted his efforts to improve public safety in Memphis, where his Make Memphis Matter campaign helped launch the Memphis Safe Task Force, and saw the passage of multiple public safety bills.
“For far too long, Memphians have been forced to watch as a soft-on-crime Soros-backed District Attorney to allow our community to be terrorized by criminals,” stated Taylor. “Meanwhile, woke Justin Pearson and weak Steve Cohen have incited the radical liberals who have attempted to destroy Memphis.”
Taylor said, “As your Congressman, I will continue to fight every single day to ensure the liberals’ harmful, negligent policies never take root in Tennessee.”
Cohen was first elected to represent the district in 2006, but is currently locked in a fierce primary challenge from State Representative Justin Pearson (D-Memphis), who sparred with Tennessee Highway Patrol during a heated moment as the State House passed the new congressional districts.
Both chambers of the General Assembly on Thursday passed the new congressional districts, leaving the legislation awaiting a signature by Governor Bill Lee. The governor is expected to sign the legislation, as he called the General Assembly back into session soon after the U.S. Supreme Court released its decision in Louisiana v. Calais that reined in the Voting Rights Act.
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Tom Pappert is a 2025 recipient of the Dao Prize and the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star. He also reports for the Star News Network. Follow Tom on X. Email tips to [email protected].
Imagine a Cohen-free state !