Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton (c) at a Pioneers of the NBA Symposium with Memphis Grizzlies owner Brian Heisley (l) (Getty)

Memphis Democratic Mayor Willie Herenton announced April 21 the formation of an exploratory committee in Tennessee’s 9th District, according to news reports , potentially complicating Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen’s re-election bid.

“My 30 years of public service has uniquely prepared me to represent Memphis at the federal level as our national leadership faces some very difficult challenges,” Herenton said in a statement, according to the Memphis Commerical Appeal.  

Herenton in 2006 publicly endorsed Cohen following Cohen’s Democratic primary win in the open seat race.