Aftyn Behn is the Democrat Nominee for TN-07. She Won't Get My Vote.

by Rod Williams, Oct. 8, 2025- Since Donald Trump has a solid lock on the Republican Party and Republicans will not resist his authoritarianism, his disregard for the Constitution, or investigate his corruption and abuse of power, I have reluctantly concluded that the best thing that could happen is if Democrats could retake the House. I do not want them to take both chambers, and I want their margin to be very thin. I want just enough Dems to win to cause gridlock and for the House to be able to conduct oversight hearings. 

Despite concluding I wanted Trump's lock on the House broken, I voted in the Republican Primary to choose the Republican nominee for the upcoming special election to fill the vacancy for the Seventh Congressional District. I concluded that the 7th being an overwhelmingly Republican district, whoever wins the Republican nomination will most likely be the next congressman from the district. I wanted the best candidate we could get. 

After studying each of the candidates, I concluded Van Epps was the most sensible and least Trumpy of the 11 candidates running. I voted for him, voting early this year, which is something I rarely do. Right before election day, Donald Trump endorsed Van Epps and I regretted my vote. Had I waited until election day to vote, I would have had to take a second look at the candidates and may have actually voted in the Democratic primary instead of the Republican primary. I do not want to facilitate Trump's march toward authoritarianism. 

I thought that, despite a Democratic candidate being a long shot to win the general election, if I had not already voted, I would vote in the Democratic primary as a matter of conscience. I also thought that when the general election rolls around, I might vote for the Democratic nominee. 

Now that the primary is behind us, and I see that the Democratic nominee is Aftyn Behn, I don't think I can bring myself to cast a vote for the Democrat. Dems picked the worst of the candidates running. I might could vote for a Bo Mitchell; but not Aftyn Behn. 

I may just sit out this election. I have time to think about it, but it is a tough choice when one must choose between a radical leftist and a Trump loyalist.  I have not paid any attention to the independents who are running and despite an independent having no chance of winning, I may give them a look. I may determine that Van Epps, despite the Trump endorsement, is the least bad choice. However, I don't feel compelled to vote. When given two bad choices, it is okay not to choose. 

Aftyn Behn is a community organizer for the Tennessee Justice Center. She once disrupted the proceedings of the Tennessee House of Representatives and had to be removed from the chamber gallery. She is a pro-abortion activist. She had the endorsements of the Democratic Socialists of America and the Progressive Democrats of America in the primary. I can't to it. I can't vote for her. 

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