Steve Cohen

Biography

Overview

Steve Cohen is a Democratic U.S. Representative from Tennessee's 9th congressional district, serving since 2007. Previously, he served in the Tennessee State Senate for 24 years (1983–2006). He is an attorney and a progressive lawmaker. Cohen is the first Jewish person to represent Tennessee in Congress and one of the few white members of Congress to represent a majority-Black district. He has repeatedly won reelection since first being elected to the House in 2006.

Career

Cohen's major legislative achievements include passing a slavery apology resolution (2008), sponsoring the SPEECH Act banning libel tourism (signed into law 2010), co-authoring the National Guard & Reservist Debt Relief Extension Act (signed into law 2011), and securing a $15 million TIGER IV Grant for Memphis's Big River Crossing project (completed 2016). In the Tennessee State Senate, his best-known accomplishment was leading successful efforts to repeal the state lottery ban, resulting in a program that raised over $2 billion for scholarships and education programs. He also created Tennessee's first animal cruelty damages law (T-Bo law) and sponsored the Holocaust Commission.

Prior political experience

Cohen lost his first House race in 1996 to Harold Ford Jr. in the Democratic primary, losing by 25 points. He returned to the State Senate and ran again in 2006, winning the primary by 4,000 votes despite being outspent 2-to-1. He won the general election with 60% of the vote. In 2008, he won the primary with 79% against strong opposition and was reelected with 87.9%. In 2010, he defeated former Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton in the primary with 79% of the vote. In 2012, he won the primary with 89.2%—the highest vote total in recent district history and the highest percentage for a white candidate in a majority-Black district. He has consistently won reelection since 2006.

Biographical material adapted from the Wikipedia article (retrieved April 29, 2026), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Ideology

Liberal–Conservative (DW-NOMINATE dim 1)

Liberal

Conservative

119th Congress-0.389

Secondary axis (DW-NOMINATE dim 2)(?)

−1

+1

-0.294

Source: Voteview DW-NOMINATE · 331 scored votes

Campaigns targeting Steve Cohen

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Officeholding history

Term	Seat	Term dates	Termination	Predecessor	Successor
10th	U.S. House TN-9	2025–present	In progress	Steve Cohen	—
9th	U.S. House TN-9	2023–2025	Term ended	Steve Cohen	Steve Cohen
8th	U.S. House TN-9	2021–2023	Term ended	Steve Cohen	Steve Cohen
7th	U.S. House TN-9	2019–2021	Term ended	Steve Cohen	Steve Cohen
6th	U.S. House TN-9	2017–2019	Term ended	Steve Cohen	Steve Cohen
5th	U.S. House TN-9	2015–2017	Term ended	Steve Cohen	Steve Cohen
4th	U.S. House TN-9	2013–2015	Term ended	Steve Cohen	Steve Cohen
3rd	U.S. House TN-9	2011–2013	Term ended	Steve Cohen	Steve Cohen
2nd	U.S. House TN-9	2009–2011	Term ended	Steve Cohen	Steve Cohen
1st	U.S. House TN-9	2007–2009	Term ended	—	Steve Cohen

Committee assignments

The Constitution and Limited Government
House· 2025–present
National Security Agency and Cyber
House· 2025–present
Open Source Intelligence
House· 2025–present
House Committee on the Judiciary
House· 2025–present
Crime and Federal Government Surveillance
House· 2025–present
Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement
House· 2025–present
House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
House· 2025–present

Current term legislation

Bills sponsored this term10

Bills cosponsored this term10

Elections

Year	Seat	Result	Vote share	Field
—	—	Pending	—	—