Dem Candidate Responds To Social Media Post
As the December 2nd special election looms in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District, Democratic candidate Aftyn Behn is facing intense backlash over resurfaced comments that many voters—and certainly her Republican opponents—see as contemptuous of the very place she’s asking to represent.
“I hate the city, I hate the bachelorettes, I hate the pedal taverns, I hate country music…” Behn said during a 2020 podcast, listing off a litany of things most closely associated with Nashville’s cultural identity. And she didn’t stop there: “I hate all of the things that make Nashville apparently an ‘it’ city to the rest of the country.”
To say that clip has gone viral is an understatement. With early voting already underway, and Republicans desperate to hold onto their slim 219–214 House majority, Behn’s remarks have given the GOP a ready-made attack ad wrapped in disdain and served with a Southern drawl. As the Republican National Committee sarcastically framed it: “Vote for me, I hate this place.”
Behn, a progressive state representative with a background in health care organizing, is running in a district Donald Trump won by 22 points in 2024. Her candidacy was always an uphill battle, but Democrats hoped Nashville’s growing progressive base and recent statewide momentum could create a surprise upset. Now, that strategy may be unraveling.
Democrat congressional candidate Aftyn Behn says she doesn’t hate Nashville, the city she represents, after audio footage was released of her saying she hates Nashville.
Behn then: “I hate the city… I hate all of the things that make Nashville.”
Behn now: “You’re talking to… pic.twitter.com/11OFHmroAv
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) November 21, 2025
Behn is no stranger to controversy. In a 2019 Tennessean op-ed, she wrote, “Tennessee is a racist state, and so is its legislature.” The RNC wasted no time resurrecting the quote, asking plainly: “If Behn hates Tennessee so much, why is she trying to represent it?” Paired with her Nashville tirade, it paints a picture of a candidate seemingly at odds with the values and culture of the very people she wants to serve.
Republicans are seizing the moment. Trump-endorsed GOP nominee Matt Van Epps, a former state commissioner, is leaning into the cultural contrast and casting Behn as a far-left “Marxist” tied to the new progressive face of the Democratic Party—Zohran Mamdani, New York City’s socialist mayor-elect. Trump himself hosted a tele-rally for Van Epps last week and may visit in person before the election. Outside GOP groups, including the MAGA Inc. super PAC, have already poured over $2 million into the race.
Still, Democrats remain optimistic. DNC Chair Ken Martin said Behn “has an excellent shot to win,” and Democratic strategists argue that the very fact Republicans are spending heavily to defend a deep-red seat signals how vulnerable they truly are heading into 2026. “Whether Behn wins or not, this is already a win for us,” one strategist told Fox, citing the GOP’s panic.
Behn’s campaign is trying to redirect the focus. Her team accuses Van Epps and national Republicans of distracting from real issues like health care access and the cost of living. Campaign manager Kate Briefs argued that Behn would work to eliminate the state’s grocery tax and lower everyday costs for Tennessee families.
But the optics are hard to shake. In a state where cultural pride runs deep—and in a district where pedal taverns and country music are more than just clichés—openly scorning those touchstones isn’t just tone-deaf. It could be politically fatal.