A Democratic candidate competing for a vacant congressional seat in Tennessee has found herself in a fiery television exchange after being confronted over her past online support for the 'defund the police' movement.
Heated Exchange on National Television
Tennessee State Representative Aftyn Behn, a liberal Democrat, became visibly agitated during an appearance on MSNOW when anchor Catherine Rampell pressed her to clarify her position. Rampell displayed a series of since-deleted tweets posted by the politician, forcing Behn onto the defensive.
One of the social media posts, originating from June 2020, explicitly urged for the abolition of the Metro Nashville Police Department. Another appeared to express support for the burning of police stations. The 36-year-old lawmaker, who is also facing criticism for resurfaced audio where she declared she 'hates' her hometown of Nashville, bristled at the line of questioning.
'I'm not going to engage in cable news talking points,' Behn retorted, 'but what I will say is that our communities need solutions, we need local people deciding – solving local problems with local solutions.' She further argued that the issue was about the 'overreach' of state and federal government, rather than her historical social media activity.
Mounting Pressure Days Before the Election
With a special election in Tennessee's seventh congressional district scheduled for next week and early voting already underway, Rampell continued to press for a clear answer. 'So you don't want to clarify whether you still believe that the police should be defunded?' the anchor asked directly.
Behn's response was evasive, stating, 'Once again, I don't remember these tweets, but I'm – what I'm saying is, is that I'm—' before Rampell interjected, clarifying: 'I'm not asking you if you remember. What is your position today? How’s that? On this issue?'
The candidate then pivoted to what she identified as the core concerns of voters. 'I'm here to talk about my race, which is in literally nine days, and talking about affordability,' Behn responded. She emphasised that voters are struggling with the cost of groceries and healthcare, labelling these as the 'most salient issues' in the district.
An Uphill Battle in a Republican Stronghold
The conversation subsequently shifted to the state of Behn's campaign, where she is pitted against Republican candidate Matt Van Epps, the former Tennessee Department of General Services Commissioner. Van Epps is widely considered the favourite to win the seat, which was vacated when Republican Mark Green resigned in July.
The district's political leanings present a significant challenge for any Democratic candidate; President Donald Trump won the area by a substantial 22-point margin in the November election.
Behn's campaign troubles are compounded by other controversial remarks that have recently resurfaced. In a clip from the GRITS podcast recorded in February 2020, the state representative is heard saying, '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. I hate it.'
Additional past comments include labelling sororities as 'a staple of white supremacy' and branding the entire state of Tennessee as 'racist.' Behn, 35, was privately educated at the $27,000-per-year Webb School in Knoxville before studying at the University of Texas at Austin.
