Aftyn Behn, a Democratic state representative, is the nominee in a special election for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District to replace resigned Rep. Mark Green. She faces Republican Matt Van Epps, who has been endorsed by former President Donald Trump, in a district that strongly backed Trump and Republicans in recent elections. Behn’s campaign has spotlighted her support for abortion rights amid Tennessee’s strict post-Roe laws.
The special election for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District is scheduled for December 2, following the resignation of Republican Rep. Mark Green earlier this year, according to reporting from the Daily Wire and other outlets. Green previously represented the deep-red district before stepping down in 2025.
Democratic nominee Aftyn Behn, a Tennessee state representative, is running against Republican Matt Van Epps. Van Epps has been endorsed by former President Donald Trump, the Daily Wire reports. The district, where around 60% of voters supported Trump and nearly 60% backed Green in the most recent House race, is rated "Likely Republican" by the Cook Political Report, according to coverage cited by the Daily Wire.
Behn has put reproductive rights at the center of her campaign and has drawn attention for earlier comments on abortion access. In a May 2022 conversation with the Tennessee Holler, quoted by the Daily Wire, she addressed the looming overturning of Roe v. Wade, saying, "What is the positive if there is a silver lining? What this does not mean for Tennessee is that groups on the ground will continue to provide training in terms of self-managed abortions, and so, instead of going to a doctor because we won’t have any doctors that provide abortions, how do you do it at home?" She continued, "We’ll continue to figure out how to get abortion pills to people. So the organizing does not stop just because Roe is overturned."
Tennessee banned most abortions in August 2022, making the procedure illegal in nearly all cases except when there is a "medical emergency," as noted in state law and summarized by the Daily Wire. Behn later joined a lawsuit challenging a 2024 Tennessee statute signed by Republican Gov. Bill Lee that, in the law’s language, "creates the criminal offense of abortion trafficking of a minor" and allows certain civil actions against people found to have committed that offense. Axios has reported that a federal judge blocked enforcement of portions of that law related to "recruitment" on free-speech grounds, while allowing other key provisions to stand, a development also described in the Daily Wire article.
In an April 2024 interview with the Nashville Scene, cited by the Daily Wire, Behn said she would be open to risking arrest in acts of abortion-related civil disobedience. Discussing the broader implications of Tennessee’s restrictions, she warned of "increased criminalization of people seeking abortions and those assisting them," adding that she anticipated more bail funds for people charged over abortion-related activity and "increased surveillance, policing, and fear." "So we are really living in a dystopian reality, I tell you ladies and gents. It’s not great," she said.
Tennessee Advocates for Planned Parenthood has endorsed Behn in the race. In a recent Instagram post highlighted by the Daily Wire, the group called her "a champion of reproductive rights with a proven track record of voting for and sponsoring legislation that would protect access to sexual and reproductive health care, and preserve our rights to our own bodies."
National Democrats see the contest as a long-shot pickup opportunity following off-year election wins in states such as Virginia, New Jersey, and Georgia. The Democratic-aligned House Majority PAC has invested about $1 million in advertising for the race, according to Politico reporting referenced by the Daily Wire.
Behn has also faced criticism over past remarks. In a 2020 clip circulated by Republicans and cited by the Daily Wire, she said, "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. But I hate it." After the clip resurfaced, Behn responded on social media, writing, "NO, I DO NOT HATE THE CITY I REPRESENT." She added that "the national GOP’s new attack" was that she hated Nashville, and said, "I’ve cried in the Country Music Hall of Fame no less than 10 times," arguing that Republicans were attacking her because "we’re close to winning," according to screenshots and quotes reported by the Daily Wire.
In addition, Fox News has resurfaced earlier comments from Behn that were critical of law enforcement, a line of criticism the Daily Wire also noted in its coverage.