The boundaries of Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District have changed significantly, but Chaz Molder, Democratic candidate for U.S. House District 5, says the issues he hears from voters remains consistent.
Molder, who is serving his second term as mayor of Columbia, Tennessee, joined host Eric Barnes and Daily Memphian reporter Bill Dries on this week’s WKNO/Channel 10 “Behind the Headlines” to discuss his stance on redistricting, affordability, immigration enforcement, the war in Iran, data centers, and other issues facing voters.
Molder criticized the newly drawn congressional boundaries, arguing that the expansive 17-county district could make effective representation more difficult across communities that can be hours apart.
“This very sprawling district now makes it more difficult for effective congressional representation when you're three hours away from each community,” Molder said.
While Molder states that counties across the districts will also be affected by the new boundaries, he identifies Memphis as the primary target of the redistricting.
“It was a direct attack on Memphis, on the voters in Memphis, on the Black voters in Memphis, and the Republican supermajority decided to come and try to break Memphis into three congressional districts to pick up a seat,” Molder said.
Molder had already begun his campaign for the U.S. House in Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District before its boundaries changed. With the district now redrawn, he said he is still hearing similar concerns from voters across its different communities, including rising costs, access to health care, education, and public safety.
The discussion also turned to immigration, where Molder drew distinctions between his views and the approaches of both the Biden and Trump administrations. He said the Biden administration should have done more to secure the border, but criticized some of the Trump administration’s enforcement tactics.
“I think anytime you talk about quotas in law enforcement, that's a dangerous track to be on,” Molder said. “But I would also say that I don't believe that in this country we should be tearing families apart.”
Molder explained that the country needs comprehensive immigration reform and a greater willingness from both political parties to find common ground. He said people in the country illegally who commit crimes should not be allowed to stay, while those who are working and contributing to their communities should have a pathway to stay.
Molder also said he opposes the war in Iran and believes Congress has a constitutional responsibility to authorize military action. He questioned the administration's strategy and plans for ending the conflict but stated that he would not support withholding resources necessary to ensure the safety of U.S. military personnel.
When discussing data centers, Molder said he supports the Memphis City Council's proposed temporary moratorium. He explained his concerns regarding the potential impact of data centers on the environment, infrastructure, and workforce.
Additionally, Molder mentioned that he is seeking to implement a similar moratorium in Columbia and emphasized the need for greater public involvement before any further projects are approved.
The conversation also turned to the Memphis Safe Task Force. Molder questioned the National Guard's role in law enforcement and called for increased congressional oversight and transparency, emphasizing the importance of public safety.
Molder also talked about his connections to Memphis, mentioning that he and his wife previously lived in the city and that he studied at the University of Memphis School of Law. If elected, he said he is committed to maintaining an office and staff in Memphis and ensuring the city receives the constituent services it deserves.
“Memphis is going to get the constituent services that they deserve,” Molder said. “And you do that by having a presence here, by showing up, and not just with staff that's present, but I'm going to be present.”
