A federal three-judge panel has allowed Tennessee’s newly drawn congressional map to remain in force for the state’s 6 August primary, rejecting an attempt by Black voters to block it. The decision is significant because the map is expected to give Republicans control of all nine of Tennessee’s US House seats, helping Donald Trump and his allies protect the party’s narrow House majority before the midterm elections.

The legal challenge alleged that the redistricting plan diluted Black voting power, but the judges found insufficient evidence — described as no “smoking gun” — to justify suspending the map before the election. The ruling does not necessarily end the underlying dispute, but it means candidates and voters will use the Republican-favoured boundaries in the imminent primary.