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President attacks state representative Aftyn Behn, running against MAGA candidate Matt Van Epps, over past comments on Nashville
Joe SommerladMonday 01 December 2025 09:55 GMTComments
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President Donald Trump has attacked a Tennessee Democrat running for Congress by claiming that she “hates Christianity” and “openly disdains country music.”
The president issued the broadside against Aftyn Behn on Truth Social Sunday after endorsing her MAGA rival Matt Van Epps in the special election for the state’s 7th congressional district, which is being held to find a successor to the resigning Rep. Mark Green, also a Republican.
“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,” Trump wrote in his post.
open image in galleryDemocratic congressional candidate and state rep. Aftyn Behn, attends a campaign event with her supporters in Nashville, Tennessee on Saturday (AP)“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! 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!”
The president’s attack appeared to refer to an interview Behn gave on a podcast in 2020 in which she said of Nashville, the country music Mecca: “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.”
Behn, a state representative and former social worker and community organizer, was asked about those remarks in a recent interview with the civil rights leader the Rev. Al Sharpton on his MS NOW show.
“As a Nashvillian, I think we all get a little annoyed with the tourists that come to town, but that doesn’t mean I [don’t] love my city,” she said.
open image in galleryPresident Donald Trump has endorsed MAGA candidate Matt Van Epps in the special election for Tennessee’s 7th congressional district (AP)“In fact, instead of sitting on the sideline and complaining about it, I decided to run for office, and that’s why I’m the state representative that represents downtown Nashville.”
The race between Behn and Van Epp is being closely watched nationally as a possible omen for the 2026 midterms, with a Democrat victory, flipping a red seat blue, likely to turn up the heat on the GOP amid widespread dissatisfaction with Trump’s first year back in office.
Republican PACs have invested approximately $2 million into Van Epps’s campaign, according to Mediaite, in order to prevent that happening.
A House Democratic super PAC has meanwhile spent $1 million on television and digital commercials for Behn, who is campaigning under the slogan: “Vote Early, Vote Aftyn.”
She defeated fellow state representatives Vincent Dixie and Bo Mitchell and local businessman Darden Copeland in the state’s Democratic primary in October to set up the clash with Van Epp.
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Donald TrumpTennesseeNashvilleChristianityCountry MusicMark GreenMAGAal sharptonJoin our commenting forum
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