Tennessee Special Election Is Another Ominous Sign for GOP

"In a another sign of a Democratic comeback after the party's wretched 2024 performance, a left-bent special election candidate in a deep-red Tennessee congressional district threw a scare into the GOP and likely expanded next year's midterm playing field. Democratic state legislator Aftyn Behn lost to Republican newcomer Matt Van Epps in the 7th district election to replace recently resigned GOP incumbent Mark Green in the U.S. House, but made it a close race, losing by just under eight percent in late returns."

"This wasn't an out-of-nowhere upset bid. Polls showed a close race all along in a polyglot district that runs from Kentucky to Alabama and includes a chunk of Nashville. To defend this GOP stronghold, Republicans and their MAGA allies spent heavily on ads pounding Behn as a radical supporter of transgender rights and disparager of the police and of (gasp!) country music. Speaker Mike Johnson campaigned with Van Epps, and Donald Trump himself called into a couple of rallies for the candidate."

"What distinguished this progressive activist from the usual red-district Democrat is that she didn't have the usual protective coloration of cultural traditionalism or ideological moderation. She campaigned in this southern-fried district with AOC and DNC chairman Ken Martin, and Kamala Harris made her first post-2024 campaign appearance at a GOTV event aimed at helping the candidate. Even Al Gore pitched in."

Aftyn Behn, a progressive Democratic state legislator, lost the Tennessee 7th district special election to Republican Matt Van Epps by just under eight percentage points. The 7th district runs from Kentucky to Alabama and includes a portion of Nashville. Republicans and MAGA-aligned groups spent heavily to cast Behn as culturally extreme while national Republicans campaigned for Van Epps. Democrats provided substantial financial support and high-profile endorsements including AOC, the DNC chair, Kamala Harris and Al Gore. Behn ran on affordability themes shared by progressives and centrists. Turnout was unusually high for a special election, with early voting favoring Democrats.

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