Cohen to seek re-election to Congress in 2020, ’22

U.S. Congressman Steve Cohen announced Jan. 1 that he will run for reelection in both 2020 and 2022.

Cohen announced his plans to run in 2020 as early as 2016, but Jan. 1’s announcement was the first about his plans for 2022.

A Democrat who represents the 9th District of Tennessee, Cohen made the announcement at a New Year’s Day prayer breakfast. In his speech, he blasted President Donald Trump and decried rumors that he would retire rather than run for re-election.

Cohen was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2006 after 24 years in the Tennessee State Senate. He previously was a Shelby County commissioner. He won his seventh consecutive term in the U.S. House in November with around 80 percent of the vote.

On Jan. 1, Cohen also spoke of plans for Democratic control of the U.S. House.

“A new day is dawning,” Cohen said. “Congress will start to do what it is supposed to do, what the Founding Fathers wanted it to do, and that is oversight.”

The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, which Cohen will chair, will look into the Voting Rights Act, Cohen said. He also said Democrats in the House will have hearings on police shootings and may pass a related bill. Other issues will include affordable insurance and raising the minimum wage, he said.

Cohen also serves on the transportation committee and said he hopes for a “robust” transportation bill that will help Memphis.

The House will also “get to the bottom” of ties between Trump and the Kremlin, Cohen said.

“The president came in talking about Washington being a swamp — he is the swamp,” Cohen said.

Cohen has long spoken at the prayer breakfast hosted annually by Myron Lowery, former Memphis City Council Chairman and former Mayor Pro Tem. Although Mickell Lowery, Myron Lowery’s son, has emceed the breakfast in previous years, this was the first year for Mickell Lowery to be included as a host, since he is now a Shelby County commissioner.

During the breakfast, several pastors drew on the Old Testament as they prayed for economic, racial and social justice in Memphis.

Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris also spoke, saying Myron Lowery has always been a role model to him. Harris also described some of his priorities for 2019, including the launch of a juvenile youth assessment center and work on a new juvenile detention facility.

Katherine Burgess can be reached at katherine.burgess@commercialappeal.com.