A wave of Nashville backlash propelled Republican Matt Van Epps to victory Tuesday in Tennessee’s Seventh Congressional District, where Democrat Aftyn Behn—who once declared, “I hate this city”—failed to overcome her history of inflammatory comments. Van Epps, endorsed by Donald Trump, held a roughly 9-point lead with 95 percent of the vote counted, according to the Associated Press.
Democrats had hoped to flip the deep-red district after strong gubernatorial showings in Virginia and New Jersey. Kamala Harris even campaigned with Behn, signaling the party’s desire for a symbolic win in Trump territory. But the district leaned heavily Republican: Trump and former congressman Mark Green won it by 22 points last cycle.
Behn entered the race carrying years of statements that alienated voters. She not only said, “I hate this city,” referring to Nashville, but also expressed “hate” for country music and the bachelorette parties that drive significant tourism. In 2020, she wrote that Tennessee’s racism was “wild and untamed,” calling the state “racist.” During the Black Lives Matter riots, Behn insisted that “burning down a police station is justified.” She later dismissed scrutiny of her comments, telling MSNBC that her police remarks were merely a “cable news talking point.”
Behn also promoted controversial racial politics. In a since-deleted 2020 post, she wrote, “I’m probably going to be trolled for this, but if you’re a white man running in a primary with a progressive POC… ask yourself… ‘is my voice more important?’” Yet she ignored her own advice by running against Vincent Dixie, a black progressive serving in the state legislature.
Van Epps’s victory gives Republicans 220 House seats to Democrats’ 213, with two vacancies and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene set to resign Jan. 5.
