State Representative Aftyn Behn (D-Nashville) announced on Monday that she will not run for Congress in 2026, citing the “unimaginable toll” her special election campaign took on her health last year.
Behn made the announcement less than two months following her December 2 concession speech following her loss to U.S. Representative Matt Van Epps (R-TN-07), when she suggested she may challenge the newly elected Republican during the 2026 midterm elections. Both candidates ran last year to fill the seat vacated by former U.S. Representative Mark Green upon his retirement.
“Running for this race was really tough, and after much consideration, I’ve decided to run only for reelection to my State House seat,” wrote Behn in a post to X. “I’ll continue to organize and *pinky promise* will run for higher office but there’s a lot of work to be done.”
In a video included with her post, Behn said it was the “honor of a lifetime” to run in the special election as the Democratic nominee, and commended the activists who volunteered.
“So many of you knocked doors for the first time, which is truly the barometer of any successful campaign, and we showed that Tennessee is a place that you can’t write off,” said Behn.
The Democrat then turned to her decision not to run for the same seat in 2026.
“I also need to be honest with you. It was not fun. This race took an unimaginable toll on my mental, physical, and emotional health,” said Behn. “Every day, I woke up to a constant deluge of violent rape threats, violent death threats, my family were digitally harassed and stalked, and it affected my health in a lot of ways, and I desperately need time to recover.”
WHY I'M NOT RUNNING FOR TN-7 AGAIN
Running for this race was really tough, and after much consideration, I've decided to run only for reelection to my State House seat. I'll continue to organize and *pinky promise* will run for higher office but there's a lot of work to be done. pic.twitter.com/iqPRG2vWQl— Rep. Aftyn Behn (@aftynbehn4tn) January 12, 2026
She told her supporters, “So after a lot of conversations with my family and my team, and of course my beloved House District 51 constituents, I’ve decided I’m not going to run for the 7th Congressional race this year.”
Behn said she would seek reelection solely to her seat in the Tennessee General Assembly, but indicated she would use some of her $465,000 in leftover campaign funds to start a new political organization.
“We do have some money left over, it’s not what the Nashville Scene is reporting, but we will be fulfilling campaign commitments that we made on the trail,” said Behn. “I will also be launching a new organizing project called Unrigged, which I’m really excited about.”
According to Behn, her new organization will “build the coalition” that Democrats need in Tennessee “to actually flip a statewide race in probably six-to-eight years.”
She told her supporters, “I know it’s probably not what you all wanted, but this is a moment where I have to protect myself, and take care of myself, and care loudly for myself, and with that I’m incredibly grateful for each of you.”
Van Epps comfortably won the election in a 9-percent landslide despite pollsters predicting a two-point race just days before votes were counted.
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Tom Pappert is a 2025 recipient of the Dao Prize and the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star. He also reports for the Star News Network. Follow Tom on X. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Aftyn Behn” by Aftyn Behn.
Is this the weepy misfit who charged into the governor’s office and was then surprised that the police hauled her back into the hallway??? She either has the intellectual capacity of a 12 year old or completely lacks any good judgement. Certainly not anybody that needs to be in any kind of elected office. Loved the theatrics of you sobbing in a puddle in the hallway though….
Why not go one better and not run for reelection to the House. District 51 constituents deserve someone who isn’t a Marxist subversive and insurrectionist.
It would be best if she simply got out of politics entirely.
That’s good for her parents. They need the financial break. Now they can just pay her rent, insurance, car note, food and gas money instead of funding her national campaigns. A UT Accounting professor salary is nice, but running for Congress is expensive.
I am sure that the FACT that she had little or no chance had nothing to do with this decision. She did better than many thought she would. However this was a special election, and would not be this next run.
She already had mega issues with mental health.
Shows you how rampant mental illness is on the Democratic side. These people need to be under care of a psychiatrist and not running from public office.