Aftyn Behn, the Democratic candidate in Tennessee’s Dec. 2 special congressional election, is facing criticism over resurfaced tweets calling to dissolve the Nashville Police Department.
According to Fox News, the controversy comes as Democrats have poured over $1 million into her campaign to flip the state’s 7th Congressional District blue.
Behn, a state representative, deleted the posts, but screenshots show that on June 3, 2020, she tweeted, “Good morning, especially to the 54% of Americans that believe burning down a police station is justified,” and, “Where’s the proposal that dissolves @MNPDNashville?”
Her GOP opponent, Matt Van Epps, has seized on the posts, labeling them “unacceptable and disqualifying.”
Speaking Tuesday on Fox & Friends First, Van Epps said, “My opponent harasses and bullies ICE and the Tennessee Highway Patrol as a sitting state legislator, which is unacceptable. We are just the opposite of that.”
Behn has declined to clarify her current position on law enforcement, telling MS NOW host Catherine Rampell, “I’m not [going to] engage in cable news talking points.”
Van Epps, a West Point graduate and combat veteran, has positioned himself as a conservative candidate focused on traditional values.
“We cannot have a radical in office here, and that’s who my opponent is,” he said at a campaign event. “There are things that are not right for Tennessee, not right for America, and we need folks to stand with us to drive America First forward.”
The seat became vacant after former GOP Rep. Mark Green resigned earlier this year to enter the private sector. Both candidates face a primary in early December, with the winner set to complete the remainder of Green’s term.
Political spending in the race has been intense. Democrats have contributed more than $1 million to support Behn, while MAGA Inc., the group that backed President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign, has launched ads backing Van Epps. Trump also endorsed Van Epps ahead of the special election primary.
The resurfaced tweets and Behn’s refusal to address them directly could play a decisive role in a district that has historically leaned Republican, with voters now weighing law enforcement issues alongside broader partisan concerns.
