Will AOC win?
President Donald Trump is calling on Tennessee Republicans to deliver a loud, unmistakable message in Tuesday’s special election—warning voters that Democrats are trying to flip a solid red seat by deploying far-left star power straight from Washington.
Trump urged supporters to “get out and vote” and “show the world something”, making it clear that this race is about far more than one congressional district. It’s a national fight over the direction of the country.
Trump Energizes Tennessee Ahead of Election Day
The race for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District—a district Trump won by 22 points—has suddenly become a political battleground.
Republican candidate Matt Van Epps, a combat veteran with strong Tennessee roots, is backed by President Trump and a long list of state and national conservative leaders.
House Speaker Mike Johnson spent the entire day campaigning with Van Epps, warning voters that Democrats are pouring money into this race for one reason: to test whether the far left can win on Republican turf.
“We’re going to win this seat, but we cannot take anything for granted,” Johnson told Fox News.
Trump joined a campaign rally by phone, telling voters:
“The world is watching Tennessee. This vote will show how strong the Republican Party really is.”
Republicans Rally to Hold the Line
The GOP is treating this race as essential to protecting its narrow House majority.
At the Franklin rally, the stage was filled with major Republican leaders:
- Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee
- U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty
- Multiple Republican members of Congress
- State GOP lawmakers
- RNC Chairman Joe Gruters
Gruters declared Tennessee “the red wall,” reminding voters that Democrats want nothing more than to crack that wall ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Democrats Deploy AOC to Boost Progressive Candidate
Democrats are pushing hard for state representative Aftyn Behn, a progressive activist many call the “AOC of Tennessee.”
To boost her chances, the Democratic Party is rolling out its biggest far-left figures:
- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, New York
- Pramila Jayapal, Washington
- LaTosha Brown, Black Voters Matter
- Former Vice President Al Gore, a Tennessee native
AOC will headline Behn’s final rally—an unmistakable sign that the far-left wing of the Democratic Party sees this race as a chance to prove it can beat Trump’s movement even in conservative America.
Behn’s Radical Record Creates Major Controversy
Republicans are highlighting Behn’s own words, which they say expose just how extreme her politics really are.
President Trump reminded voters of Behn’s past statements attacking Tennessee culture, Christianity, and country music.
“How the hell can you elect someone like that?” Trump asked.
Her past record includes:
- A 2019 op-ed calling Tennessee “a racist state”
- Anti-police posts from a deleted social media account
- A 2020 podcast where she said she “hates” the city of Nashville, bachelorette culture, pedal taverns, and even country music
Speaker Johnson warned voters that electing Behn would mean giving AOC and the progressive caucus another guaranteed vote.
“She is a dangerous far-left radical,” Johnson said. “A rubber stamp for AOC and Hakeem Jeffries.”
Democrats See Opportunity—Republicans See a Warning
Democrats admit privately that Behn’s path is narrow, but they believe AOC’s involvement could excite younger and far-left voters.
Behn’s campaign insists the race is “dead even” based on early voting patterns and claims Republicans are attacking her because they have “no plan.”
Republicans see it differently. To them, this race isn’t about early voting or TV ads—
it’s about keeping Tennessee Tennessee.
If Behn somehow pulls off an upset, the GOP’s already-tight House margin becomes even more fragile. Democrats hope that one or two early GOP retirements could flip control of the chamber.
Speaker Johnson summarized the stakes:
“Every single seat matters.”
What This Race Really Means
This election has become a symbolic showdown between Trump’s America First movement and AOC’s progressive agenda.
Both sides are using Tennessee as a political test:
- Democrats want to prove the far-left can win anywhere
- Republicans want to show that conservative America is not buying AOC-style politics
The outcome will not only determine who represents Tennessee—it will signal where the country is heading as the 2026 midterms draw closer.
