In the final stretch of Tennessee’s closely watched special congressional election, Democrat Aftyn Behn is firing back at President Donald Trump, framing his recent comments as a sign of nervousness rather than strength.
“President Trump is saying all these things because he doesn’t have a plan to address the rising cost of health care and to ensure that working Tennesseans are able to afford health care, groceries and utilities,” Behn said in an exclusive interview with Newsweek on Monday.
Behn, a state representative from Nashville, has unexpectedly become a serious challenger in the 7th Congressional District, a seat long dominated by Republicans. Her campaign has gained momentum in recent days, drawing national attention — and a direct broadside from Trump.
On Sunday, the former president used his Truth Social platform to boost Republican candidate Matt Van Epps while attacking Behn personally. In his post, Trump labeled her a radical who “hates Christianity, will take away your guns, wants Open Borders, Transgender for everybody, men in women’s sports, and openly disdains Country music.” He claimed, “She said all of these things precisely, and without question — IT’S ON TAPE!”
Behn firmly denied the characterization, pointing instead to her record and ties to the community. “These comments were mischaracterized and taken out of context,” she said, referencing remarks she made years ago about Nashville. “It was a time when I was discussing why I decided to get involved in local elections… I’m a state representative that represents downtown Nashville, and I couldn’t think of a greater honor than representing the city that I love.”
