Just four days before she filed paperwork to run as a Democrat for the upcoming special election in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District, the Dickson County Democratic Party described State Representative Aftyn Behn (D-Nashville) as “our very own AOC of TN,” in a reference to U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14).
The Dickson County Democrats offered the description for Behn in a Thursday post to Instagram, where the local party said Behn provided a speech that was both “inspiring and energizing” to motivate the party “to push for a change.”
“What an incredible first speaker meeting with our very own AOC of TN!” The party wrote, “The theme of the night was community- let’s fight for our neighbors, know our neighbors, protect our neighbors & love our neighbors.”
The Democrat confirmed her participation in the event through her post to Instagram, where she wrote that the Democrats “strategized about how to take back Tennessee.”
Behn filed paperwork with the U.S. Federal Election Commission (FEC) on Monday to become the first Democrat in the race for the congressional seat vacated last week by former U.S. Representative Mark Green, who left Congress after President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, enacting the retirement he announced in June.
Previously the subject of controversy due to her pro-abortion advocacy and stance on the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, the new congressional candidate recently live streamed herself as she followed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) vehicles during the agencies’ joint enforcement operation that saw nearly 200 illegal immigrants detained in May.
After the video was shared by U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05), who described Behn’s actions as “stalking” law enforcement “as they carried out official duties,” the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) accused Behn of ranking among “sanctuary politicians” who “are fighting for criminal illegal aliens.”
Not long after receiving criticism from Ogles and DHS, she joined other Democrats in state governments across the country in a letter supporting U.S. Representative LaMonica McIver (D-NJ-10), who faces assault charges after she allegedly physically struck and grabbed a Homeland Security Investigations agent while attempting to gain access to an ICE facility in Nashville.
More recently, Behn launched a petition aiming to stop Governor Bill Lee from considering a contract with Elon Musk’s Boring Company to construct a tunnel between Nashville’s airport and downtown. Behn’s petition secured a signature from less than 1,000 Nashvillians during its first week and had grown to just 1,398 signatures by press time.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Aftyn Behn” by Aftyn Behn.
SHE IS YOUR TYPICAL RADICAL
NOT NEEDED IN TENNESSEE
Looks like TN’s version of Abortion Barbie. What could possibly go wrong.
LOL It fits!