Failed Democratic Tennessee congressional candidate Aftyn Behn conceded the election Tuesday night but didn’t end the race quietly, phoning Republican Tennessee Rep-elect Matt Van Epps to tell him how she thinks he should do his job.
Van Epps won the special election for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District on Tuesday, defeating Behn and keeping the historically Republican, President Donald Trump-leaning seat in GOP control. Instead of conceding without incident, Behn said she phoned Van Epps to tell him what she believes he must do in Washington, D.C. — specifically, protect Obamacare subsidies.
“I called the Congressman-elect, Matt Van Epps, and I had one question for him. What will define what happens next? Do not let the Affordable Care Act subsidies expire. Do not raise health care costs for working families in Tennessee,” Behn said.
Behn, who fell short in the traditionally red 7th District after a heavily funded race, framed her loss as a symbolic victory.
WATCH:
“The Republicans made these districts to be uncompetitive. They wanted us to back down, and we did not back down. We showed up. Our campaign raised $2.8 million, outraising our opponent. And from everyday people, not the Billionaire Boys Club, not Trump’s Billionaire Boys Club, but from nurses and teachers in Clarksville and Dickson and young people who donated $5 or $10 to get us over the finish line,” Behn said. “We knocked on 70,000 doors. We made over 185,000 calls. We had conversations on porches and churches and gas stations. We recruited 1,500 volunteers and ran one of the largest one-day canvases in the entire state that the state has seen in years.”
Van Epps struck a different tone as he celebrated his win, crediting Trump for his victory.
WATCH:
“As we look forward, I say this to my friends in the liberal media and to the professional panickers in my own party. Tonight we showed [that] running from Trump is how you lose. Running with Trump is how you win. Our victory was powered by supporters of President Trump turning out to vote. The president built the largest, most diverse coalition to ever elect a Republican, and we leaned in on that. President Trump was all in with us, and it made the difference,” Van Epps said. (RELATED: Republicans Hold On To House Seat In Tennessee)
Former Republican Rep. Mark Green’s July resignation, less than six months into his fourth term, triggered the special election in Tennessee’s 7th District. The opening forced voters in a district Trump won by 20 points in 2024 to return to the polls for an off-year special election.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
