By Ronald W. Weathersby
State Representative Aftyn Behn, the Democratic nominee in the December 2nd special congressional election in Tennessee’s 7th district is optimistic about the political trends in the district, the state and the nation. She said she believes her candidacy, which many felt was a long shot given the makeup of the congressional district maps developed by Tennessee Republicans is within striking distance of her opponent.
“It’s a lot more competitive than the Republicans would like,” she explained to the Tennessee Tribune in an exclusive interview. “It’s the perfect storm. As the Cook Political Report said, as they shifted the political status of the race from solidly Republican to lean Republican and it’s for a few reasons.”
Behn who has represented the 51st district of the Tennessee House of Representatives since 2023 which includes parts of Nashville-Davidson County said there are several factors that culminated in the wins Democrats enjoyed in elections across the country earlier this month.
“One [factor] is the is inability to deliver on the economic agenda that was promised by the administration, and I think the chaos of Washington. Watching the longest federal government shutdown in history, where a lot of folks in the district went two pay periods without a check. We have a Republican trifecta at the federal level, we have a Republican trifecta at the state level. and nothing seems to be working. So why send someone from the same party up there to fix it?
“Another factor is obviously the overreach from the Republican super majority to cut Nashville into three districts,” she explained. “I don’t know if you remember, but (retiring Congressman) Mark Green said at the time, ‘do not do this, it will backfire,’ and thus the backfiring is here.
“We saw Democrats who embraced an affordability message on November 4th win across the country,” Behn continued. “I think the momentum is on our side and that’s what we’re seeing in this race.”
When asked about the historical changes that have taken place in Tennessee as it has morphed politically from moderate to MAGA, Behn explained that unchecked power has worked to the detriment of the Republican Party in the state.
“When there’s a super majority on either side there’s a lethargy that’s associated with that, and so in the early 2000s there was a democratic supermajority and it’s almost it mirrors what we’re seeing now where they haven’t adopted new skills. They’ve gotten lethargic in terms of elevating their skill sets to win elections.
“They haven’t been organizing. And so, we’ve while they’ve been scapegoating and terrorizing, we’ve been building power and caring for each other. And that’s what we’re seeing actualize.
“To give you an example like take immigration. We were able to stop bad immigration bills 15 years ago in committee. And now it’s like any group has to have a litigative strategy in the sixth circuit because all the Republican supermajority is trying to do is undo our federal constitutional rights through the Judiciary.
“So, they’re not trying to fill potholes, they’re not trying to, you know, ensure that we have the best public schools in the state, they’re literally trying to undo the federal Constitution, and I think it’s the overreach.
“We’ve been under a Republican supermajority rule for 15 years, and there’s really no one else to blame but yourselves. And so, as a social worker, one of the professional tenants is selfish introspection, and that’s something I always do as a legislator and as an organizer. We need to look around and be like, okay, how did I contribute to this problem? And I don’t see that introspection from the right, and I think the pendulum is slowly starting to swing the other way because of the overreach and the lethargy.”
Behn also talked about the singular message that she is resonating in all parts of the district.
“People know me as an activist and organizer. As a legislator I have really tried to figure out how to organize and create entry points for people waking up to the fact that they have been scammed by this [Republican] economic agenda. Senator Oliver and I have been organizing to end the grocery tax and to close the corporate loopholes across the state. It’s a nonpartisan framework in which people can really step in and see an issue for what it is not necessarily through the lense of partisanship. And that’s what we’ve done with the congressional race. I feel like I haven’t equivocated from that message at all, whereas my opponent absolutely has. And it’s a message that states that we’re all struggling. I mean, the universal sentiment across the district is no one can afford to live here anymore.
“No one can afford to buy a house in Nashville; utilities are going up. We have the highest groceries cost in the country. And there just seems to be no end in sight, and no interest from the party in power to address the rising cost of living.”
Representative Behn said that more available federal resources need to be delivered to the 7th district.
“Rural and urban communities have unique needs, but the overall affordability crisis is impacting everyone. We live in a state where our state budget has ballooned, but none of that money is going to increase services or support for rural or urban communities. And it’s the same at the federal level. I think the former representative left a lot of federal money on the table that could have supported programs in Black churches and a lot of the partnerships, especially in north Nashville, and so one of the things I committed to is the first few months I’m in office is to do an audit as to what federal money is available and to support to our communities bridge the gap of technical assistance. Because managing these federal grants is really intense. So, I want my office to support the administrative burden inherit in the administration of those grants.”
Behn was asked to tell Tribune readers about her background.
“I grew up with parents who always felt less than,” she said. “My dad grew up really poor on a farm in Wisconsin, and my mom grew up a Jehovah’s Witness. I always had this kind of outsider mentality from their worldview and positionality. I grew up in Knoxville which is basically the Tennessee capital of Appalachia. And in high school I had a lot of service trips into the hollers deep into Appalachia. I quickly understood the exploitation and neglect from the power brokers, especially in the coal mining communities of eastern Tennessee where corporations and billionaires came in, siphoned wealth and left with nothing in place but heartache and degradation. And so, I’m just someone who’s always fought. I want to give communities a fighting chance. I believe that we must rewire the power structure in place. And so, you see that in my legislation ‘homes, not hedge funds’ will put limits on private equity that buys generational family houses in Nashville. You see that by rewriting our tax code to ensure that working moms buying baby formula at Kroger are no longer paying more effectively in taxes than multinational corporations. So, it’s always been my ethos, and that’s something that I’ll take to Congress.
“And so this race has been one of creating a coalition of the disenchanted of those that are upset with the rising cost of living and the chaos of Washington, and if you’re upset, come to our side, you’ll be welcomed with open arms and I think more and more people are going to be waking up to the fact that they didn’t sign up for this, and they’ve had enough. And hopefully I’m the candidate that they’ll believe in and usher in that change.”
The Representative commented on the importance of the Black vote in the extremely gerrymandered congressional district.
“If Black voters turn out, I will owe this victory to them and it will send a message to Washington that they have overreached, and that Black voters are here to stay, and they’re not going away. A lot of our communications are tailored towards Black communities. All our mailers were sent to north Nashville and Black voters across the district.
“If we flip the district my congressional office will be in north Nashville.
“It’s a testament to if I win this race, it will be because of Black voters.”
