President Trump rallied Tennessee voters by phone and railed against the “AOC of Tennessee” in a bid to boost Republican Matt Van Epps before Tuesday’s special election, which has major implications for the GOP House majority.
Trump called House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who stumped for Van Epps, and underscored the risks of Republicans losing the special election, which could jeopardize the GOP’s grip on the lower chamber.
“Remember, he’s got a majority of three,” Trump told voters in Franklin, Tenn., on speakerphone. “There aren’t many people who can do that. But we have to win this seat.”
“The whole world is watching Tennessee right now, and they’re watching your district,” the president continued. “It’s got to show that the Republican Party is stronger.”
The president also tore into Democrat Aftyn Behn, also known as the “AOC of Tennessee,” alluding to her remarks on a podcast five years ago in which she trashed country music.
“The Democrats are spending a fortune, and we don’t want people that want to raise your taxes,” Trump said. “But she said two things above all else that bothered me. Number one, she hates Christianity. Number two, she hates country music.”
“How the hell can you elect a person like that? I just want to give my total support, and he’s had it right from the beginning to Matt van Epps. He’s going to be a fantastic congressman.”
During the campaign, Republicans have dug up Behn’s lefty record, including her 2019 op-ed in The Tennessean, in which she bashed her state as “racist.” She also pushed to defund the police the following year.
Five years ago, on a podcast, Behn tore into Nashville. Ironically, District 7 encompasses parts of Nashville.
“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 apparently an ‘it’ city to the rest of the country. But I hate it,” she said at the time.
Last year, Trump won Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District by 22 points. But multiple recent polls show Van Epps in a neck-and-neck battle with Behn.
For example, a shocking Emerson College Polling survey found Van Epps topping Behn 48% to 46%, which is within the margin of error.
Should Republicans lose that race, their grip on the House could slip to a zero-vote margin next spring.
That’s due to firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (R-Ga.) forthcoming retirement in January and special elections to fill the two vacant House seats that Democrats previously held.
If House Republicans fall to a zero-vote margin, it’ll mean they can’t afford any defections on partisan legislation. Over the past year, they’ve usually had at least one defection on partisan bills, mostly from Libertarian-leaning Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.).
Trump is slated to do a more formal tele-rally in Tennessee later in the day Monday. The special election is meant to fill the vacancy left by former Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.), who retired over the summer.
