Republican Matt Van Epps fended off a challenge from far-Left Democrat Aftyn Behn on Tuesday during a special election for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District.
With 95% of the vote in, <a href="https://election-night.decisiondeskhq.com/date/2025-12-02">DecisionDeskHQ</a> has called the race for Van Epps 53.9% to 45%. Other outlets followed shortly after.
Van Epps&#8217; victory allows Republicans to breathe a sigh of relief after Democrats surged money and resources into the race, hoping to capitalize on typically low Republican turnout in special elections. A win for Behn in the deep red district would have sent shockwaves throughout the nation. The self-described “radical” community organizer had previously voiced support for burning down police stations and supported transgender surgeries on young children.
The race was scheduled after former Rep. Mark Green announced his resignation earlier this year. Green won the district, which stretches from Tennessee’s borders with Kentucky and Alabama and includes parts of Nashville, by over 20 points.
In recent weeks, money poured into the race as Behn campaigned with Democrat favorites Al Gore and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
House Speaker Mike Johnson <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-reputation-of-our-state-is-on-the-line-gop-begins-final-push-before-critical-house-election?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98The+Reputation+Of+Our+State+Is+On+The+Line%E2%80%99%3A+GOP+Begins+Final+Push+Before+Critical+House+Election">traveled to Tennessee</a> on Monday to rally support for Van Epps.
Van Epps’ win bolsters Johnson’s slim majority in the House, which currently sits at 219-213.
Behn had a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/everything-you-need-to-know-for-the-crucial-tennessee-special-house-election?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=5&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Everything+You+Need+To+Know+For+The+Crucial+Tennessee+Special+House+Election">fundraising advantage</a> over Van Epps, raising over $1 million between October 1 and November 12 while Van Epps took in $591,000 during that same timeframe. At the same time, the Trump-aligned MAGA Inc spent over $1 million backing Van Epps, while the Democrat-aligned House Majority PAC and Your Community PAC have spent a combined $950,000 supporting Behn.
Behn won a crowded Democratic primary in August despite a history of leftist advocacy out of touch with much of the Volunteer State’s conservative leaning.
She once claimed that <a href="https://x.com/claytravis/status/1993319674352697755?s=42">men can give birth</a>. Behn also said that the murder of six children by a transgender-identifying gunman at the Covenant School in Tennessee made her more sympathetic to “trans communities.” That apparent sympathy <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrat-aftyn-behn-said-covenant-shooting-made-her-fearful-for-trans-communities">inspired</a> her to “fight the far-right narrative that is being emanated by Matt Walsh and The Daily Wire.”
Behn also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-congressional-candidate-backs-trans-procedures-for-kids-campaigns-with-drag-queen">backs</a> transgender procedures on children, draping a trans flag on her back during “Pride” month and writing on social media: “THESE COLORS DON’T BLEED. Remember, you come for my trans community, I come for you.”
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In a May 2022 podcast appearance, Behn said she supported the mailing of abortion pills into Tennessee by outside groups. Medication abortions are illegal under Tennessee law.
“We’ll continue to figure out how to get abortion pills to people. So the organizing does not stop just because Roe is overturned,” Behn said.
Last month, Behn <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/music-city-fumble-dem-candidate-said-she-hates-city-she-wants-to-represent-in-congress">went viral</a> for comments she made about her hatred of country music and the city of Nashville.
Van Epps also won a crowded Republican primary after earning an endorsement from President Donald Trump. Trump called into a rally for Van Epps featuring Tennessee GOP heavyweights and held a tele-rally on Monday night for the Republican on the eve of the election.

Aftyn Behn and Matt Van Epps

No Dem Upset Aftyn All: Van Epps Defeats Radical Leftist Aftyn Behn In Tennessee Special Election

Aftyn Behn

Elections

Matt Van Epps

Politics

Tennessee

NASHVILLE—It was freezing and windy with the occasional snowflake, and no, we aren&#8217;t talking about the libs. Election Day in Tennessee was cold, but the race between Democrat Aftyn Behn and Republican Matt Van Epps is hot.
Voters hit the polls in District 7 on Tuesday with certain issues top of mind. Tennesseans told The Daily Wire that the economy was the issue that hit home.
The Daily Wire talked to one woman who said affordability is what she wants to see in Tennessee.
&#8220;For me, it&#8217;s affordable housing, that&#8217;s a part of our country that needs a lot of help.&#8221;
Both candidates have focused on economic issues throughout the race. Van Epps <a href="https://www.mattfortn.com/issues">said</a> he backs President Donald Trump&#8217;s &#8220;America First&#8221; agenda. His plan for the economy is to partner with Trump to rebuild the economy by bringing manufacturing back to U.S. soil, unleashing American energy, and creating jobs. Behn argues that Trump&#8217;s tariffs are hurting the U.S. economy and has raged against &#8220;tax cuts for billionaires.&#8221; She also claims that she would push to make healthcare more affordable for people in Tennessee.
After speaking to voters on Tuesday, it&#8217;s clear that dollar signs are on their minds.
&#8220;We want economic change, and we want to feel like our taxes are going to things that matter,&#8221; one voter said.
Other voters expressed border security and abortion as top concerns. One voter told The Daily Wire that Behn&#8217;s leftist views, especially on abortion, were too radical for middle Tennessee.
&#8220;The abortion, it&#8217;s a human life. I can&#8217;t vote for it,&#8221; the voter said. &#8220;Some of Aftyn Behn&#8217;s views aren&#8217;t what I want in this district.&#8221;
President Donald Trump and Republican leaders have also ripped Behn for her radical leftist views, urging conservatives to hit the polls hard.
“This is a big deal, because right now we’re like, three votes up on the radical left, and this would be a wonderful victory for us,” Trump said, according to the New York Post. “It’ll be really a positive sign.”
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-big-deal-trump-calls-on-tennessee-republicans-to-surge-to-the-polls">‘A Big Deal’: Trump Calls On Tennessee Republicans To Surge To The Polls</a>
Behn has come under fire for saying that she hates Nashville, parts of which she&#8217;s running to represent. In a clip from a podcast appearance in 2020, Behn said, &#8220;I hate the city, I hate the bachelorettes, I hate pedal taverns, I hate country music.&#8221;
Behn walked back her past comment, saying in a video after the clips resurfaced that she does not hate the city she wants to represent. But is that enough for Music City residents?
&#8220;It doesn&#8217;t look good for sure,&#8221; a voter told The Daily Wire.
But some voters didn&#8217;t care that Behn had said some negative things about their city.
&#8220;It doesn&#8217;t bother me. I think there&#8217;s a lot of people that are not comfortable with the city,&#8221; a woman said.
One Van Epps supporter, however, didn&#8217;t hold back his feelings for Behn.
&#8220;This girl is as dumb or maybe dumber than AOC.&#8221;
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Leftist New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez got behind Behn during the special election campaign and spoke during a virtual rally for the Tennessee Democrat on the eve of the election.
Behn is just two points behind Van Epps, a former Army helicopter pilot. Trump won Tennessee&#8217;s 7th district  by 22 points in 2024, and Republicans have breezed to victories in House elections in recent years. Most Republicans aren&#8217;t expecting that big of a victory on Tuesday night, but President Trump is hoping Van Epps will outperform expectations.
“I want Matt to do better than me, even,&#8221; Trump said on Monday.
Polls close in Tennessee&#8217;s 7th district at 7:00 p.m. CT.

Special Election Day In Tennessee

Voters Reveal Their Top Issues In Tennessee’s Special Election

Election

Nashville

Tuesday&#8217;s special election in Tennessee&#8217;s deep red 7th district should cause the Republican Party to &#8220;wake up&#8221; and &#8220;start paying attention to [its] base,&#8221; according to Republican Rep. Tim Burchett.
Burchett <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/video/6385857265112">told</a> Fox News on Tuesday morning that he&#8217;s concerned about &#8220;homegrown Marxists,&#8221; including Democratic candidate Aftyn Behn, becoming competitive against Republicans in conservative districts. Burchett pointed out that Behn was &#8220;educated in Knoxville, Tennessee.&#8221;
&#8220;It&#8217;s not these people moving in from New York, California, or Chicago, even. It&#8217;s our own homegrown Marxists that we&#8217;re bringing up,&#8221; said Burchett, pushing back on a common complaint from Tennessee Republicans, who argue that people who move from blue states are making Tennessee more liberal. &#8220;We&#8217;ve got to start paying attention to our base and what the heck is going on.&#8221;
Burchett argued that Republican Matt Van Epps is &#8220;one of the best candidates I&#8217;ve ever seen.&#8221;
&#8220;This is the proverbial canary in the cave,&#8221; the congressman added. &#8220;If Matt Van Epps, a qualified candidate in a district that Trump won by over 15 points, can&#8217;t carry this thing, we&#8217;re in trouble. Republicans are asleep at the switch. We pay attention to presidents, because President Trump is a great president. We should be paying attention to him, but when it gets down to the other races, we forget about it.&#8221;
Democrats and Republicans have poured millions of dollars into the special election, as polls showed that Behn has a chance to keep the race close. Burchett said Tennessee&#8217;s 7th district shouldn&#8217;t even be considered a possibility for Democrats to flip. Burchett blamed low turnout from Evangelical Christians and gun owners as the main reason that Republicans often struggle in special elections and off-year elections.
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&#8220;It should not even be a race,&#8221; he said. &#8220;[Behn] is a Marxist, and she&#8217;s not even a friendly Marxist like AOC.&#8221;
Democrats believe that Behn, who has advocated for abolishing police departments and supports gender procedures on children, has a chance to pull off a remarkable upset and flip the Tennessee district to the Democratic Party. The 7th district seat went up for grabs after Republican Rep. Mark Green retired earlier this year. Polling results, released by Emerson College and The Hill on Monday, showed Behn trailing Van Epps by just two points.
Along with pushing leftist policies, Behn has also been criticized for saying that she hates Nashville, parts of which she is running to represent.
“I hate the city, I hate the bachelorettes, I hate the pedal taverns, I hate country music, I hate all of the things that make Nashville apparently an ‘it’ city to the rest of the country,&#8221; Behn <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/music-city-fumble-dem-candidate-said-she-hates-city-she-wants-to-represent-in-congress">said</a> during a 2020 podcast appearance.
President Donald Trump and Republican leaders have emphasized the importance of the special election for the GOP heading into the 2026 midterm elections. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-reputation-of-our-state-is-on-the-line-gop-begins-final-push-before-critical-house-election?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98The+Reputation+Of+Our+State+Is+On+The+Line%E2%80%99%3A+GOP+Begins+Final+Push+Before+Critical+House+Election">campaigned</a> with Van Epps in Franklin, Tennessee, on Monday alongside Tennessee Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty. Trump also called into Monday&#8217;s rally and addressed the crowd over speaker phone, The Daily Wire previously reported.
Prominent Democrats have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/big-name-dems-make-final-pitch-for-aftyn-behn-hope-for-tuesday-miracle-in-tennessee?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Big-Name+Dems+Make+Final+Pitch+For+Aftyn+Behn%2C+Hope+For+Tuesday+%E2%80%98Miracle%E2%80%99+In+Tennessee">rallied</a> around Behn, with former Vice President Al Gore, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) joining a virtual rally with Behn on Monday night.

Tim Burchett

‘We Need To Wake Up’: Tennessee Congressman Has Stark Warning For GOP Ahead Of Special Election

President Donald Trump called the special election for former GOP Rep. Mark Green’s Tennessee seat a “big deal” and said he wants Republicans to surpass his 2024 margins in the district.
Trump made the remarks in a Monday night tele-rally for Matt Van Epps, the Republican candidate running against Democrat Aftyn Behn in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District. Voters head to the polls on Tuesday to bring an end to a race that has drawn millions in outside spending as Democrats believe they have an opportunity for an upset. 
“This is a big deal, because right now we’re like, three votes up on the radical left, and this would be a wonderful victory for us,” Trump <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/12/01/us-news/trump-calls-tennessee-special-election-a-big-thing-suggests-results-will-reflect-on-him-and-the-gop/">said</a>, according to the New York Post. “It’ll be really a positive sign.” 
Trump won the district by more than twenty percentage points in the 2024 presidential race. 
“If it’s like two points less than that, they’ll say, ‘Oh, that’s terrible. I guess Trump’s losing his magic,&#8217;” Trump said. “I want Matt to do better than me, even.&#8221;
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-reputation-of-our-state-is-on-the-line-gop-begins-final-push-before-critical-house-election?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98The+Reputation+Of+Our+State+Is+On+The+Line%E2%80%99%3A+GOP+Begins+Final+Push+Before+Critical+House+Election">who spent</a> Monday in Tennessee campaigning with Van Epps, was also on Monday night&#8217;s call with Trump. 
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“It is no secret my majority in Congress is razor-thin,” Johnson said. “Every seat matters more than ever, and that’s exactly why we need Matt here in Washington.”
Later in a social media post, Trump <a href="https://x.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1995676855651664182">called</a> for his supporters to surge to the polls. 
“I am asking all America First Patriots in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District to please GET OUT AND VOTE TOMORROW for a phenomenal Candidate, Matt Van Epps, on Election Day, Tuesday, December 2nd!” Trump <a href="https://x.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1995676855651664182">said</a>. “HE WILL BE A GREAT CONGRESSMAN and, unlike his Opponent, he cherishes Christianity and Country Music — She has openly stated that she hates them both!”
Earlier on Monday, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-reputation-of-our-state-is-on-the-line-gop-begins-final-push-before-critical-house-election?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=‘The+Reputation+Of+Our+State+Is+On+The+Line’%3A+GOP+Begins+Final+Push+Before+Critical+House+Election">called</a> into a rally in Franklin, Tennessee, where Johnson, Republican senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty, and GOP Governor Bill Lee were all rallying support for Van Epps. 
“It’s all going to come down to the numbers, and my friends, the Democrats have seen an opportunity. They’re counting on us to slide into December 2 having enjoyed Thanksgiving and not thinking that this seat is at risk,” Hagerty said. “The message that we can send from here in Tennessee has to be loud and clear. Not only is Tennessee a red state, Tennessee seven is a red district, and the reputation of our state is on the line.”
Behn also held a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/big-name-dems-make-final-pitch-for-aftyn-behn-hope-for-tuesday-miracle-in-tennessee?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Big-Name+Dems+Make+Final+Pitch+For+Aftyn+Behn%2C+Hope+For+Tuesday+‘Miracle’+In+Tennessee">virtual rally</a> on Monday night, featuring Democrat favorites like former Vice President Al Gore and far-Left Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). Democrats hope to capitalize on high turnout in parts of Nashville and on low Republican turnout in rural areas. 
More than 84,000 Tennesseans have already cast their ballots during the early voting period, which lasted from November 12 to 26, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1169221962004705&amp;set=pcb.1169223325337902" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> state officials. Polls in Tennessee will stay open until 7:00 p.m. CST.

MixCollage-02-Dec-2025-07-14-AM-4931

‘A Big Deal’: Trump Calls On Tennessee Republicans To Surge To The Polls

Donald Trump

Mark Green

FRANKLIN, Tenn. — “The reputation of our state is on the line,” said Tennessee Republican senator Bill Hagerty as he addressed several hundred Republican voters gathered Monday morning to rally support for congressional candidate Matt Van Epps one day before a crucial special election.
The temperatures outside were chilly, but the mood of Republican officials inside the rally was confident yet urgent. Most said they believed that Van Epps would win the race for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District, but that the margins could be closer than what would typically be expected in the Republican favorable district. Van Epps is facing off against state Democrat Representative Aftyn Behn, a far-Left candidate who supports transgender procedures on kids and wants to roll back Tennessee’s pro-life protections.
Democrats have poured millions into the race, capitalizing on their wins last month and hoping for low Republican turnout in the rural areas of the district and high turnout in parts of Nashville. Former congressman Mark Green won the district by over 20 points during the 2024 election before later announcing his resignation.
“It’s all going to come down to the numbers, and my friends, the Democrats have seen an opportunity. They’re counting on us to slide into December 2 having enjoyed Thanksgiving and not thinking that this seat is at risk,” Hagerty said. “The message that we can send from here in Tennessee has to be loud and clear. Not only is Tennessee a red state, Tennessee seven is a red district, and the reputation of our state is on the line.”
Hagerty said he believed that Van Epps would be OK, but that Tennessee voters had a chance to put a stop to Democrat confidence after racking up wins in Virginia and New Jersey.
The rally was held at the barn of American businessman and billionaire Willis Johnson in rural Williamson County with the backdrop of Johnson’s classic car collection on display. Inside the rally were a who’s who of Volunteer State Republicans, including Governor Bill Lee, Senator Marsha Blackburn, Rep. John Rose, Rep. Andy Ogles, Rep. Tim Burchett, state Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, and state GOP Chair Scott Golden.
&#8220;We are going to win this because we are going to have a coalition that gets out and we&#8217;re going to win decisively,&#8221; Van Epps told the crowd, promising to fight for America First policies if elected to office.
Van Epps won a crowded Republican primary in August after being endorsed by President Donald Trump. A number of Van Epps&#8217; primary opponents, including Reps. Gino Bulso and Jody Barrett, were in attendance and gave Van Epps their full-throated support.
Republican National Committee Chair Joe Gruters also spoke, as did House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), who flew in from Washington, D.C., Monday morning. To much cheering, Johnson called President Donald Trump, who addressed the crowd on speaker phone.
<div id="attachment_1007877" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1007877" class="size-full wp-image-1007877" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2248788404.jpg" alt="FRANKLIN, TENNESSEE - DECEMBER 1: House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) holds his phone to the microphone during a call with U.S. President Donald Trump during a get out the vote event held in support of Republican congressional candidate Matt Van Epps on December 1, 2025 in Franklin, Tennessee. Tennessee's 7th congressional district special election is being held to fill the seat vacated following the resignation of republican Mark Green. " width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2248788404.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2248788404-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2248788404-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/GettyImages-2248788404-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Credit: Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images.</div>
Trump said that he heard the “crowd is incredible” and that he wanted to be there in person, but that the Secret Service said it would be difficult on such short notice.
“I love Tennessee, one of my all-time favorite places. Tennessee, I guess, loves me because we won by the biggest margins anybody has ever won by,” Trump said. &#8220; But if you can go Matt Van Epps, he&#8217;s a winner, he&#8217;s going to be great. Don&#8217;t let this stuff fool you.”
Trump also ripped into Behn for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/music-city-fumble-dem-candidate-said-she-hates-city-she-wants-to-represent-in-congress">previously saying</a> that she hates country music. “How the hell can you elect a person like that?” Trump asked.
Several Republican officials said that they expected Van Epps to win by about 7-10% of the vote. State Senator Joey Hensley told The Daily Wire he thought he would win by 8-10% of the vote, while Williamson County GOP Chair Steve Hickey said he believed the margin would be about 7%. Congressman John Rose told The Daily Wire he thought Van Epps would finish strong.
Multiple local attendees who spoke with The Daily Wire said that they worried that a sense of complacency had set in across the district because the seat went so strongly Republican in the past. Attendee Matt said that he couldn’t believe how close the polls indicated the race would be and said he was confused why Green resigned his seat. Chad, who said he had voted early, said he was worried that Republican turnout would be low.
Other Republicans said the result would hinge on turnout. “The game is tied and it will be decided what we do tomorrow,” Golden said.

House Speaker Johnson Campaigns With Tennessee GOP Congressional Candidate Matt Van Epps

‘The Reputation Of Our State Is On The Line’: GOP Begins Final Push Before Critical House Election

2025 elections

Congress

Mike Johnson

In October 2023, the online publication Tennbeat published an interview with newly elected Tennessee state representative Aftyn Behn.
The <a href="https://www.tennbeat.com/p/meet-the-aoc-of-tennessee-aftyn-behn">piece</a>, which calls the leftist lawmaker &#8220;the AOC of Tennessee,&#8221; charts Behn&#8217;s rise from University of Texas psychology student to &#8220;progressive community organizer.&#8221; Behn told Tennbeat that &#8220;during her senior year at the University of Texas, she interned at the Arc of Texas, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of persons with disabilities.&#8221;
The piece notes that Behn &#8220;developed talking points on disability policies for the state legislature&#8221; during that internship, giving her an early taste of political life that led her to spend the summer after graduation <a href="https://www.tennbeat.com/p/meet-the-aoc-of-tennessee-aftyn-behn">canvassing</a> for Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX). 
But Arc of Texas has no record of Behn&#8217;s employment, as an intern or otherwise. “We have no record of an intern with the name Aftyn Behn,” a spokesperson for the Arc of Texas told The Daily Wire.
The Daily Wire reached out to Tennbeat founder Kathryn Rickmeyer, who authored the piece. She claimed that Behn told her about the internship herself. Behn did not respond to a request for comment.
Since launching her campaign to replace retired congressman Mark Green, Behn has been engaged in a different kind of resume revisionism. The lawmaker, who faces Republican Matt Van Epps on Tuesday, has sought to position herself as an average Nashville girl. Her record suggests otherwise.
Let&#8217;s start with Nashville, the majority of which lies in the district Behn would represent if she wins.
“I hate the city,&#8221; the <a href="https://www.aftynforcongress.com/">self-described</a> &#8220;pissed off social worker&#8221; said on a 2020 <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/music-city-fumble-dem-candidate-said-she-hates-city-she-wants-to-represent-in-congress">podcast appearance</a>. &#8220;I hate the bachelorette, I hate the pedal taverns, I hate country music, I hate all of the things that make Nashville apparently an ‘it’ city to the rest of the country. But I hate it.”
Behn attempted to walk her comments back after the video resurfaced earlier this month, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AftynBehn4TN/videos/no-i-do-not-hate-the-city-i-represent-the-national-gops-new-attack-that-i-hate-n/762714846811103/">posting a video</a> titled &#8220;BREAKING: I DO NOT HATE NASHVILLE LOL.&#8221; It&#8217;s unclear whether Behn&#8217;s attempt to laugh the whole thing off was effective, however, because she was quickly hit with a succession of new scandals.
Behn deleted a social media post calling on all white people to get behind abolishing prisons, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-democrat-aftyn-behn-repeatedly-advocated-for-prison-abolition?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Tennessee+Democrat+Aftyn+Behn+Also+Wants+To+Abolish+Prisons">reported</a> this week.
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“On this Juneteenth, we need less white folks posting Canva graphics and more adopting prison abolition as a political foundation,” Behn wrote just over a year ago, which is now archived on the <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240619153246/https:/twitter.com/AftynBehn/status/1803450863240757499" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wayback Machine</a>. Behn also advocated prison abolition in an August 2024 article in <a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2024/08/01/candidate-profiles-tennessee-senate-and-house-primary/74623149007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Tennessean</a>, telling the publication, “As a legislator who believes in prison abolition, I am committed to addressing the root causes of crime rather than implementing punitive measures that often perpetuate a cycle of harm.”
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Behn has also faced scrutiny over a 2020 post in which she praised people who support burning down police stations. “Good morning, especially to the 54% of Americans that believe burning down a police station is justified,” Behn posted.
Behn declined to address those comments in a recent interview, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-democrat-aftyn-behn-wont-take-back-support-for-burning-down-police-stations?author=Lynden+Blake&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Tennessee+Democrat+Aftyn+Behn+Won%E2%80%99t+Take+Back+Support+For+Burning+Down+Police+Stations">saying</a>, “I’m not gonna engage in cable news talking points.”
Crime and policing are not the only areas where Behn has advocated radical views in the past. She claims that <a href="https://x.com/claytravis/status/1993319674352697755?s=42">men can give birth</a> and said that the murder of six children by a transgender-identifying gunman at the Covenant School in Tennessee made her more sympathetic to &#8220;trans communities&#8221; and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrat-aftyn-behn-said-covenant-shooting-made-her-fearful-for-trans-communities">inspired</a> her to &#8220;fight the far-right narrative that is being emanated by Matt Walsh and The Daily Wire.&#8221;
Those political positions may put Behn out of step with the state she&#8217;s running to represent. But they&#8217;re not shocking coming from a woman who says she got into politics after “immers[ing] herself in Austin’s Black Lives Matter movement&#8221; and who once consulted with the United Nations on a portfolio that included LGBT refugees.
With less than a week left before the special election, Behn may wish her radical past would stay in the past. But the revelations keep coming, often accompanied by video. One clip that resurfaced this week <a href="https://x.com/NicoleMSilverio/status/1993011789400097130?s=20">showed Behn crying</a> after being forcibly removed from Tennessee Governor Bill Lee&#8217;s office during a 2019 protest. And in another clip making the rounds this week, Behn reveals what she dreams about: power.
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 “My therapist always asks me to transcribe my dreams when they happen,&#8221; <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-dem-candidate-aftyn-behn-i-dont-want-children-i-want-power">Behn says in the clip</a>. &#8220;And the recurring dream I’ve had is standing up in a cafeteria full of women — I don’t know why I was there or whatever — and saying, ‘I don’t want children. I want power!’ And just screaming it at the top of my lungs.&#8221;

Aftyn Behn Keeps Revising Her Resume. We Set The Record Straight.

Defund The Police

The Covenant School

Transgender

Tennessee Democratic congressional candidate Aftyn Behn deflected when asked whether she supports abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during an interview with CNN on Sunday.
“I&#8217;ve got 48 hours to flip this congressional district, and have been dogged about the message of affordability, and that&#8217;s not what I&#8217;m hearing in the district,” Behn, a state representative, said before switching topic to rural healthcare.
Behn is running in Tuesday’s special election in the state’s Seventh Congressional District against Republican Matt Van Epps. Rep. Mark Green’s (R) resignation in July created the vacancy that this special election will fill. President Donald Trump and Green both won the district with roughly 60% of the vote in 2024.
CNN’s Manu Raju outright asked her whether ICE should be abolished, noting that it’s a stance Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has, who is expected to campaign with Behn in a tele-rally on Monday, according to the outlet.
Behn was also asked whether ICE should cease its operations in Nashville, parts of which she represents in the state legislature. The Democrat said she’s been hearing from people in her district, particularly the Hispanic community, that they are concerned about “the overreach of our federal government.”
In a May video, the Democrat said, “We’ve got our girl squad, and we’re bullying the ICE vehicles and State Troopers,” which has since been used in advertisements against Behn.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-democrat-aftyn-behn-repeatedly-advocated-for-prison-abolition?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Tennessee+Democrat+Aftyn+Behn+Also+Wants+To+Abolish+Prisons" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported that she’s made previous comments that were highly critical of law enforcement and also called for abolishing prisons multiple times.
“On this Juneteenth, we need less white folks posting Canva graphics and more adopting prison abolition as a political foundation,” Behn said in a deleted post from last year.
“No, I do not agree with these ‘tough-on-crime’ policies,” she told <a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2024/08/01/candidate-profiles-tennessee-senate-and-house-primary/74623149007/?gnt-cfr=1&amp;gca-cat=p&amp;gca-uir=true&amp;gca-epti=z114837d00----v114837b0054xxd005465&amp;gca-ft=181&amp;gca-ds=sophi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Tennessean</a> in August 2024. “As a legislator who believes in prison abolition, I am committed to addressing the root causes of crime rather than implementing punitive measures that often perpetuate a cycle of harm.&#8221;
In 2020, Behn posted on social media, &#8220;Good morning, especially to the 54% of Americans that believe burning down a police station is justified,&#8221; which has led to scrutiny throughout the campaign.
“I’m not gonna engage in cable news talking points,” Behn told <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-democrat-aftyn-behn-wont-take-back-support-for-burning-down-police-stations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MS Now</a> when asked if she still agreed with her comments made at the time.
Behn has had Vice President Kamala Harris and other major Democrats campaign for her. Van Epps held a rally with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) on Monday, and Trump called in to make his case for the Republican.
“Number one, she hates Christianity,” Trump said on the call to the audience. “Number two, she hates Country Music. How the HELL can you elect a person like that?!”
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Tennessee Democrat Aftyn Behn Won’t Say Whether She Supports Abolishing ICE

Democrats

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Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

President Donald Trump laid into a radical left congressional candidate from Tennessee on Sunday, blasting Democrat Aftyn Behn as &#8220;a woman who hates Christianity, will take away your guns, wants Open Borders, Transgender for everybody, men in women’s sports, and openly disdains Country music.&#8221;
Trump delivered the verbal smackdown in a <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115640171509477265">Truth Social post</a> — in which he also threw his full support behind her opponent, Republican Matt Van Epps — over a viral audio clip in which she&#8217;d declared her hatred for Nashville, bachelorettes, and even country music. His post comes just ahead of the special election in Tennessee&#8217;s 7th Congressional District on Tuesday.
&#8220;I am asking all America First Patriots in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District, who haven’t voted yet, to please GET OUT AND VOTE on Election Day, Tuesday, December 2nd, for a phenomenal Candidate, Matt Van Epps,&#8221; Trump&#8217;s post began. &#8220;Matt is fighting against a woman who hates Christianity, will take away your guns, wants Open Borders, Transgender for everybody, men in women’s sports, and openly disdains Country music. She said all of these things precisely, and without question — IT’S ON TAPE!&#8221;
Trump warned voters that they needed to get to the polls, adding, &#8220;Do not take this Race for granted. The Radical Left Democrats are spending a fortune to beat one of the best Candidates we’ve ever had, Matt Van Epps! You can win this Election for Matt. GET OUT AND VOTE FOR MATT VAN EPPS, who has my Complete and Total Endorsement — HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!&#8221;
Behn raised eyebrows with her <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/embattled-tennessee-dem-aftyn-behn-offers-proof-she-doesnt-hate-nashville">anti-Nashville</a> rant: &#8220;‘I hate the city, I hate the Tennessee bachelorettes, I hate pedal taverns, I hate country music, I hate all the things that make Nashville … I hate it.&#8221;
She tried to do a little damage control after the audio clip went viral, claiming on the &#8220;Breaking Points&#8221; podcast that she could not possibly hate country music.
&#8220;So, I’m going to say something I haven’t said,” Behn told the hosts. “And I think it’s funny, I hope my parents don’t kill me, but I do not hate country music. I was conceived after a George Strait concert, so … I feel personally attacked.&#8221;
Behn also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-dem-candidate-aftyn-behn-i-dont-want-children-i-want-power">made headlines</a> with another audio clip of herself describing a recurring dream in which she stood up in a crowded cafeteria full of women and shouted, &#8220;I don&#8217;t want children, I want power!&#8221;

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Meets With Donald Trump At The White House

Trump Mocks Tennessee Radical Aftyn Behn Over Nashville Hate: ‘IT’S ON TAPE’

Trump Mocks Tennessee Radical Aftyn Behn Over Nashville Hate: 'IT'S ON TAPE'

Executive

Social Media

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Aftyn Behn, the Democrat hopeful for Congress in Tennessee, deleted a radical social media post calling on all white people to get behind abolishing prisons.
“On this Juneteenth, we need less white folks posting Canva graphics and more adopting prison abolition as a political foundation,” Behn, a white woman, said in a deleted post just over a year ago, that is now archived on the <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240619153246/https:/twitter.com/AftynBehn/status/1803450863240757499" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wayback Machine</a>. The post also recommended four books that &#8220;enhanced&#8221; her &#8220;political education.&#8221;
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Behn is running against Republican Matt Van Epps in a deep red district to replace Mark Green, a congressman who resigned earlier this year. Democrats have spent a hefty amount of money and resources to try and drive turnout among Democrats, hoping to pull an upset in a low-turnout contest.
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The deleted post was not Behn&#8217;s only time advocating for the radical policy, which has been embraced by many advocates of so-called &#8220;social justice.&#8221; In an August 2024 article in <a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2024/08/01/candidate-profiles-tennessee-senate-and-house-primary/74623149007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Tennessean</a>, Behn disclosed the same stance on prisons.
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“No, I do not agree with these ‘tough-on-crime’ policies,” she told the publication at the time. &#8220;As a legislator who believes in prison abolition, I am committed to addressing the root causes of crime rather than implementing punitive measures that often perpetuate a cycle of harm.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_1006417" style="width: 980px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1006417" class="size-full wp-image-1006417" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/5927db9b04c5ef7c0d4dbea3edbfe74b0a21f59c594fb19a2ef28888837d0e2a.jpg" alt="" width="970" height="406" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/5927db9b04c5ef7c0d4dbea3edbfe74b0a21f59c594fb19a2ef28888837d0e2a.jpg 970w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/5927db9b04c5ef7c0d4dbea3edbfe74b0a21f59c594fb19a2ef28888837d0e2a-300x126.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/5927db9b04c5ef7c0d4dbea3edbfe74b0a21f59c594fb19a2ef28888837d0e2a-768x321.jpg 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 970px) 100vw, 970px" />Screenshot of Behn&#8217;s deleted post / Daily Wire</div>
Behn’s campaign did not respond to The Daily Wire’s request for comment. The Democrat has taken other controversial stances on crime, including being one of the handful of lawmakers who voted against the death penalty for those convicted of raping a minor, according to <a href="https://www.wkrn.com/news/tennessee-politics/death-penalty-for-child-rapists-clears-final-legislative-hurdle-heads-to-governors-desk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WKRN</a>. Behn raised concerns that if a child was aware that the consequence of the crime for the abuser was the death penalty, it might prevent the minor from reporting the crime.
“You can read testimonies again and again across this state, but the state intervening to kill a human being does nothing to deter the crime,” Behn said on the state House floor in April 2024 while debating the legislation with Republican Rep. William Lamberth.
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The Democrat has also faced scrutiny over a 2020 post in which she praised people who support burning down police stations.
“Good morning, especially to the 54% of Americans that believe burning down a police station is justified,” Behn posted.
Behn declined to respond, saying instead, “I’m not gonna engage in cable news talking points.&#8221;
The Daily Wire reported on her past comments on abortion as well, saying she would be willing to get arrested for her advocacy on the issue.
“We’ll continue to figure out how to get abortion pills to people. So the organizing does not stop just because Roe is overturned,” Behn said in a May 2022 conversation with the Tennessee Holler.
Another podcast clip from 2020 of her went viral, in which she said that she hates Nashville.
“I hate the city, I hate the bachelorettes, I hate the pedal taverns, I hate country music, I hate all of the things that make Nashville apparently an ‘it’ city to the rest of the country. But I hate it,” she said.
Despite her radical positions, she has won the support of prominent Democrats, including former Vice President Kamala Harris and Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett.
President Donald Trump has also waded into the race, endorsing Van Epps.
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“I am asking all America First Patriots in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District, who haven’t voted yet, to please GET OUT AND VOTE for MAGA Warrior Matt Van Epps, tomorrow, November 26th, the last day to vote early in person. You can win this Election for Matt! PLEASE VOTE FOR MATT VAN EPPS, who has my Complete and Total Endorsement,” Trump posted on Tuesday night.
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Tennessee Democrat Aftyn Behn Also Wants To Abolish Prisons

Law Enforcement

Police

Embattled Democrat <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-dem-candidate-aftyn-behn-i-dont-want-children-i-want-power">Aftyn Behn</a>, currently vying for a House seat in Tennessee&#8217;s 7th Congressional District, attempted to do some damage control after an audio recording of her saying that she &#8220;hates&#8221; everything about Nashville went viral — and her defense may have made the situation worse.
Behn, appearing on the Breaking Points podcast, fielded a question about her comment and claimed that she couldn&#8217;t possibly hate country music because she was &#8220;conceived after a George Strait concert.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Democrat Aftyn Behn bizarrely tries to walk back her comments saying she &#8220;hates&#8221; Nashville and country music.
&#8220;I do not hate country music, I was conceived after a George Strait concert.&#8221; 🤡 <a href="https://t.co/jqhixHhOq6">pic.twitter.com/jqhixHhOq6</a>
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1993066504309661889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
One of the hosts began by repeating her previous comment for context: &#8220;Apparently you said, &#8216;I hate the city, I hate the Tennessee bachelorettes, I hate pedal taverns, I hate country music, I hate all the things that make Nashville &#8230; I hate it.'&#8221;
&#8220;The bachelorette part is a little bit fair,&#8221; one of the others joked. &#8220;So we won&#8217;t make you weigh in on that, Aftyn.&#8221;
&#8220;It&#8217;s so fair,&#8221; another agreed.
&#8220;But what would you like to say about this clip that&#8217;s floating around?&#8221;
&#8220;So, I&#8217;m going to say something I haven&#8217;t said,&#8221; Behn replied. &#8220;And I think it&#8217;s funny, I hope my parents don&#8217;t kill me, but I do not hate country music. I was conceived after a George Strait concert, so &#8230; I feel personally attacked.&#8221;
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Behn also raised eyebrows with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-dem-candidate-aftyn-behn-i-dont-want-children-i-want-power">another audio clip</a> in which she could be heard describing a recurring dream that she had discussed with her therapist.
&#8220;My therapist always asks me to transcribe my dreams when they happen, and the recurring dream I’ve had is standing up in a cafeteria full of women — I don’t know why I was there or whatever — and saying, ‘I don’t want children. I want power!’ And just screaming it at the top of my lungs,&#8221; she recalled.

Embattled Tennessee Dem Aftyn Behn Offers ‘Proof’ She Doesn’t Hate Nashville

Embattled Tennessee Dem Aftyn Behn Offers 'Proof' She Doesn't Hate Nashville

country musie

Media

Aftyn Behn, the Democratic congressional candidate for Tennessee’s 7th District, once had recurring dreams in which she screamed, “I don’t want children. I want power!”
In an audio clip posted online on Monday, Behn can be heard speaking about her sessions with her therapist and dreams she has had. She connects the dreams back to advice her mother gave her to forgo children in order to focus on a career. It was not immediately clear when the audio clip was recorded.
“My therapist always asks me to transcribe my dreams when they happen, and the recurring dream I&#8217;ve had is standing up in a cafeteria full of women – I don&#8217;t know why I was there or whatever – and saying, ‘I don&#8217;t want children. I want power!’ And just screaming it at the top of my lungs,” Behn can be heard saying.
“For someone who grew up with my mother telling me, never have kids because you will, you know, you&#8217;ll have to give up a lot. You&#8217;ll have to sacrifice professionally,” she continued.
Behn said that the political field has not “met the challenge of working moms” and added that those women who do choose marriage and a family are in “deeply patriarchal structures.”
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“I think in the South, it&#8217;s incredibly difficult to shake those [patriarchal structures], especially if you&#8217;ve grown up here and that all you&#8217;ve been told is the definition of success, the metrics of success is how many kids you have, the bigger the square footage of your house, and where your kids go to school,” Behn said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨 Democrat nominee for the upcoming TN07 special election Aftyn Behn condemns women who get married and start families&#8211; saying it&#8217;s the product of &#8220;deeply patriarchal structures&#8221;:
&#8220;My therapist always asks me to transcribe my dreams and the recurring dream I&#8217;ve had is standing… <a href="https://t.co/LTsYj0im7Q">pic.twitter.com/LTsYj0im7Q</a>
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) <a href="https://twitter.com/greg_price11/status/1993043067486527894?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
Behn, currently serving as a state representative in Tennessee, has a history of controversial comments that have undermined her campaign to represent Tennessee’s 7th District in the U.S. Congress. In another clip discovered and posted last week, the Democratic candidate said she hated the city she is running to represent.
“I hate the city, I hate the bachelorettes, I hate the pedal taverns, I hate country music, I hate all of the things that make Nashville apparently an ‘it’ city to the rest of the country. But I hate it,” she <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/music-city-fumble-dem-candidate-said-she-hates-city-she-wants-to-represent-in-congress">said</a>.
She later said that she was only venting frustrations about the tourism that comes to Nashville.
Behn is running against Republican Matt Van Epps in a special election to replace former Rep. Mark Green. The election is scheduled to be held early next week.

Tennessee Dem Candidate Aftyn Behn: ‘I Don’t Want Children. I Want Power!’

Aftyn Behn: ‘I Don’t Want Children. I Want Power!’

Democratic Party

Aftyn Behn, the Democratic candidate running in the special election to represent Tennessee&#8217;s 7th Congressional District, did not deny that she had suggested that burning down police stations was a righteous act when confronted about previous social media posts on MS Now (formerly MSNBC) over the weekend.
MS Now anchor Catherine Rampell asked if the Democrat stood by her previous 2020 statement, when she gushed over Americans who thought setting a police station ablaze was justified.
“I’m not gonna engage in cable news talking points,&#8221; Behn said.
Rampell was referring to a now-deleted post on X where Behn said: &#8220;Good morning, especially to the 54% of Americans that believe burning down a police station is justified.&#8221;
Rampell pressed Behn on this issue after the Democrat kept dodging the topic. Still, Behn never addressed her social media post or said whether her radical positions on law enforcement had changed in the past five years.
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&#8220;I&#8217;m here to talk about my race,&#8221; Behn said.
The Knoxville native has been under fire recently for negative comments about Nashville, parts of which lie in the district she’s fighting to represent.
“I hate the city, I hate the bachelorettes, I hate the pedal taverns, I hate country music, I hate all of the things that make Nashville apparently an ‘it’ city to the rest of the country. But I hate it,” she said.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-democrat-aftyn-behn-running-on-extreme-abortion-stance-in-deep-red-state">RELATED: Tennessee Democrat Aftyn Behn Running On Extreme Abortion Stance In Deep Red State</a>
After the comments went viral, Behn <a href="https://x.com/aftynfortn/status/1991669057473425651?s=20">said</a> that she does not hate Nashville.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris spent time in the Music City this month campaigning for Behn, who said she would be willing to get arrested for breaking abortion laws.
Behn is running against Republican Matt Van Epps for former Rep. Mark Green&#8217;s seat.
Van Epps, who is endorsed by President Donald Trump, is a combat veteran who served for three years in the Tennessee Governor&#8217;s Office as Deputy Chief Operating Officer. The West Point graduate said he is ready to support Trump&#8217;s America First agenda in Washington while delivering results to the people in Tennessee&#8217;s 7th district.
Van Epps has claimed <a href="https://x.com/MattForTN/status/1985900445886267637?s=20">Behn is more radical than New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani</a>, after Behn said Mamdani’s agenda mirrors her own in Tennessee.
The special election takes place on December 2.

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