The Third Congressional District will not go all the way from the bottom of the state to the Kentucky line under a plan released on Wednesday by the Republican majority. It includes all of Bradley County, not just a portion of it.
Currently, the district comprises two halves, joined together through a narrow point at Ten Mile in Roane County.
The upper half now includes Scott, Morgan, Roane, Anderson and Union
counties, as well as most of Campbell County.
The lower half borders North Carolina to the east and Georgia to the south. It includes Hamilton, Polk, McMinn and Monroe counties and the bottom half of Bradley County.
Under the proposed reconfiguration, the top half of Scott County going up to Kentucky will be in District 6. District 3 will have the bottom portion of Scott County.
The lower part will include Hamilton, Bradley, Polk, McMinn and Monroe with the connecting point at Ten Mile.
Rep. Chuck Fleischmann said of the plan, “I am very pleased with the proposed Congressional Map from the General Assembly that reunites the entirety of Bradley County in the 3rd Congressional District. Bradley County is a vibrant and important county in our great state, and I will be honored to have the opportunity to represent all citizens of Bradley County once the map is finalized.”
A major point of contention in the new map is that Nashville would be split into three different districts.
Longtime Congressman Jim Cooper said that is aimed at diluting Democratic votes.