Progressive TN Candidate Aftyn Behn Sparks Trump Criticism

The Tennessee District Seven congressional race on Tuesday appears to be close, with progressive Democrat Aftyn Behn polling at 46% to Republican Matt Van Epps' 48%, according to Emerson College Polling/The Hill (Center bias).

The Details: Behn currently serves as a representative in the Tennessee General Assembly. Her opponent, Van Epps, is an army veteran and former state commissioner. Despite President Trump winning Tennessee's seventh district by 22 points in the 2024 election, polls just days before the special election indicate that Epps may win by only two percentage points, which falls within the survey's margin of error. In 2022, lawmakers redrew districts in Nashville, TN, which formerly was Democratic, into three seats that favor Republicans.

Behn's Platform: Behn told Newsweek (Center), "This race is competitive because the Washington Republicans have put forth an economic agenda that hasn't delivered and voters are looking for a change." The campaign slogan is, "Feed kids, Fix roads, Fund hospitals."

Trump's Response: Trump called upon Tennessee Republicans to vote for Van Epps, writing on Truth Social that Behn "hates Christianity, will take away your guns, wants Open Borders, Transgender for everybody, men in women's sports, and openly disdains Country music."

How the Media Covered It: Outlets on the Left and Center highlighted Behn's success in a long-time red state, framing her campaign in the context of recent Democratic wins. CNN (Lean Left) noted that Behn has "made affordability concerns a centerpiece of her campaign messaging," questioning how far Democrats can take the affordability argument. Newsweek wrote that this special election "has become a high-stakes test of whether the so-called 'blue wave' is gaining strength heading into the 2026 midterm cycle." Fox News (Right) focused on Trump's backing of Van Epps and highlighted his criticism of some of Behn's past remarks, including comments about cutting funding to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department.

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