Former President Trump is urging Tennessee voters to support Republican Matt Van Epps in Tuesday’s special election to fill the state’s vacant 7th Congressional District seat, claiming—without evidence—that Democratic nominee Aftyn Behn “openly disdains Country music.”
“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 Sunday on Truth Social.
Trump further escalated his criticism of Behn in the post, alleging: “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!”
Van Epps, previously the commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services, is running against Behn, a state representative, to succeed former Rep. Mark Green (R). Green resigned earlier this year to pursue a private-sector opportunity, triggering the special election.
Background on the Controversy
Republicans have seized on remarks Behn made in a 2020 episode of the podcast Grits, where she said:
“I’ve been heavily involved in the Nashville mayoral race because I hate this city, I hate the bachelorettes, I hate the pedal taverns, I hate country music. I hate all the things that make Nashville apparently an ‘it city’ to the rest of the country.”
Behn has since clarified that the comments were made in frustration and do not reflect her views as an elected official. In a video released last month, she explained:
“Now, I always want Nashville to be better, right? I want Nashville to be a place where working people can thrive, right? But sure, I get mad at the bachelorette [parties] sometimes, I get mad at the pedal taverns, right? Talking to someone who has cried no less than 10 times in the Country Music Hall of Fame.”
She added in a corresponding post: “NO, I DO NOT HATE THE CITY I REPRESENT,” punctuating the statement with three laughing emojis.
Behn Campaign Response
Behn’s campaign manager, Kate Briefs, responded sharply to Trump’s attack, saying the former president is lying “because he is panicking about his tanking approval numbers as Tennessee voters hold him accountable for his failed economic policies that are raising their costs, while lowering taxes for their billionaire donors.”
Context: Why This Special Election Has Drawn Attention
Tennessee’s 7th District is traditionally a reliably Republican seat, and Van Epps enters the race with a structural advantage. Still, Democrats see the contest as an opportunity to demonstrate voter enthusiasm heading into the 2026 midterms—particularly if they can outperform expectations in a deep-red district.
Special elections in off-years often serve as indicators of base energy for both parties. National Democrats have been encouraged by recent overperformances in similar contests across the country and hope Behn can replicate that trend.
Polling Suggests a Competitive Race
At least one survey—conducted last week by Emerson College Polling and The Hill—suggests the race may be closer than expected. The poll showed Behn and Van Epps running neck and neck, signaling that Democratic enthusiasm and Trump’s polarizing involvement may be tightening the contest.
