Former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry pulled a petition this week to run for Tennessee's newly redrawn District 6 U.S. House seat as candidates in both parties scramble to respond to the new congressional map.

Why it matters: Potential candidates only have until tomorrow to decide to run following the last-minute shakeup from Tennessee Republicans.

Catch up quick: Republicans raced to draw new district boundaries last week that eliminate Tennessee's only solidly blue district in Memphis. The gerrymandered map splits Memphis between three districts and also shifts borders in Nashville.

• Candidates who already qualified for the Aug. 6 primary ballot were drawn into new districts.

The big picture: Democrats are suing to stop the new map from taking effect, but they're simultaneously strategizing over which candidates should run for which seats.

State of play: A new state law allows candidates to represent any House district — they don't have to live there.

• The District 6 seat is currently held by Rep. John Rose, who is not seeking reelection. State Rep. Johnny Garrett and former Congressman Van Hilleary are the top GOP contenders.

Flashback: Barry was a popular first-term mayor before a scandal in 2018 led to her resignation and knocked her political career off course.

• She's maintained influence in Nashville politics and younger candidates frequently seek out her advice.
• Barry ran unsuccessfully for the District 7 U.S. House seat in 2024.

Zoom out: Nashville Councilmember Jacob Kupin, state Rep. Vincent Dixie and former candidate Darden Copeland pulled petitions to run in the new District 7 represented by U.S. Rep. Matt Van Epps.

• State Sen. London Lamar, a Memphis Democrat, also pulled a petition to run in the new ninth district.

Reality check: Potential candidates sometimes pull papers to run for office but then decide against it.

• Barry tells Axios she hopes the legal challenge is successful, but is "taking a serious look" at running in the meantime.
• "After Republicans shamelessly changed the rules in the middle of an election year, we owe it to ourselves as Democrats to fight back," she says.

Friction point: Before redistricting this month, Tennessee was on track for two competitive Democratic House primaries.

• Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder was set to face off against Nashville Councilmember Mike Cortese for the District 5 Democratic nomination.
• Incumbent U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen was facing a challenge from state Rep. Justin Pearson in District 9.

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More than a year after the remnants of Hurricane Helene thrashed East Tennessee, all of the state roads damaged in the flooding are finally back open.

Why it matters: At its peak, the flood damage left many communities in the northeast corner of the state dangerously isolated. Major roads and bridges, including Interstate 40, were shuttered.

The latest: Yesterday, officials with the Tennessee Department of Transportation celebrated the reopening of the State Route 353 Floyd W. "Jason" Lamb Jr. Memorial Bridge in Greene County.

• It was the final state bridge to reopen to traffic.

By the numbers: A total of 49 Tennessee bridges or roads closed following the Helene-driven flooding in September 2024, per TDOT.

What's next: While all roads and bridges have now reopened, some repairs are still underway. I-40 construction near the North Carolina boarder is expected to stretch into next year.

🚫 Nashville Sheriff Daron Hall says his office is exempt from a new law passed by Republicans that requires local sheriffs to cooperate with ICE. (Tennessee Lookout)

🌉 Oracle released new renderings of the proposed pedestrian bridge across the Cumberland River.

• The company hopes to start construction in August. The project is expected to take two years to complete. (Nashville Business Journal, subscription)

🏨 Tourism optimism is high in Nashville with 14,700 new hotel rooms planned for the region. (Tennessean)

Americans are spending more time at home, yet many have become strangers to their neighbors.

Why it matters: Without casual conversations with neighbors — who are often from other races, or have different religions and political ideologies — people risk becoming more isolated and more dependent on superficial, algorithm-driven digital communities.

By the numbers: In 2012, 51% of young Americans regularly engaged with neighbors, according to a new AEI report. Today, that number has plummeted to 25%.

• More broadly, 59% of Americans chatted with neighbors a few times per week in 2012. In 2025, that number is 41%.

What they're saying: Daniel Cox, head report researcher and director of the Survey Center on American Life at AEI, tells Axios that technology deserves some of the blame.

• "In the previous generation, if you sat around your apartment long enough, you started to go stir crazy, and that would often compel people to go out," he said.
• Now, he said, homes have become entertainment bunkers that let Americans stream, scroll, get directions, and find recommendations without knocking on a neighbor's door.

💭 Our thought bubble: Nashville newbies on Reddit often ask for tips about making new friends and connecting with neighbors. One piece of advice we loved was getting to know others by helping.

• A resident said they got to know their neighbors during the January ice storm. They shared food, coffee and portable batteries.

📬 Tell us: How do you get to know your neighbors in Nashville? Hit reply and give us your best advice for bridging the divide.

Go deeper: Exclusive: More than a third of young people say loneliness disrupts daily life

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