Tennessee State Rep. Aftyn Behn is facing criticism in the final days before the December 2 special election in the Seventh Congressional District after audio resurfaced [1] from a 2020 podcast in which she said she “hates” Nashville, a city included in the district she is seeking to represent.
Aftyn Behn hates everything about Tennessee and will destroy it with her radical left agenda.
STOP AFTYN BEHN. pic.twitter.com/K5n0BtP4fT [2]
— GOP (@GOP) November 20, 2025 [3]
Behn is the Democratic candidate in the race to fill the seat vacated by former Republican Rep. Mark Green, who retired following the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill in July.
The district has a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of R+10.
Despite the Republican advantage, the Republican National Committee has moved significant resources into the contest, citing recent high Democrat turnout in elections in Virginia and New Jersey.
The resurfaced audio circulated widely this week. In the recording, Behn 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.”
Aftyn Behn– the Democrat nominee for the upcoming TN07 special election– says that she despises Nashville, the city that she’s running to represent in Congress:
“I hate the city, I hate the bachelorettes, I hate the pedal taverns, I hate country music, I hate all of the… pic.twitter.com/L9lmo1YkkJ [4]
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) November 19, 2025 [5]
President Trump won the district by 22 points last November.
Although the district leans Republican, it includes parts of Nashville, the state capital and Tennessee’s most populous city.
Nashville is a major tourist destination known for its cultural history and its ties to country music.
The Seventh District includes areas of north and west Nashville, including parts of the downtown area.
The audio prompted response from Republican candidate Matt Van Epps and national party officials.
“The Democrat running in a special election for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District, Aftyn Behn, is running on the message: ‘I hate this place, elect me!’ Tennessee deserves better,” the Republican National Committee posted on social media Thursday.
The Democrat running in a special election for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District, Aftyn Behn, is running on the message:
“I hate this place, elect me!”
Tennessee deserves better. Vote early or on Dec 2 for @MattForTN [6]! https://t.co/vwVex2MUyG [7]
— GOP (@GOP) November 20, 2025 [8]
Behn became the nominee after winning last month’s special primary election.
She prevailed over former State Rep. Bo Mitchell and political newcomer Darden Copeland, both of whom received more than 20 percent of the vote.
Republicans have invested heavily in the race despite the district’s partisan rating.
Public filings show that billionaire Jeff Yass has contributed more than $1.3 million toward efforts in the contest.
Additional expenditures include more than $600,000 from the Ken Griffin-supported Conservatives for American Excellence and $453,000 from the School Freedom Fund.
Trump’s MAGA Inc. super PAC has also spent seven figures on activity related to the race.
The Seventh Congressional District special election is scheduled for December 2.
This is Nashville State Representative Aftyn Behn.
She just posted a 15-minute video of her and a friend stalking the Tennessee Highway Patrol as they carried out official duties—openly admitting they were trying to stall law enforcement from stopping illegal aliens.
Let’s be… pic.twitter.com/NEBYp9j2ic [9]
— Rep. Andy Ogles (@RepOgles) May 20, 2025 [10]