In a recent appearance on MS NOW, Aftyn Behn, a Democratic congressional candidate and Tennessee state representative, was questioned about her previous social media posts that suggested support for defunding the police.
Behn, however, declined to clarify her position on the matter.
According to Fox News, Catherine Rampell, the host of "The Weekend," confronted Behn about her past tweets, which have since been deleted. "In 2020, you made some tweets that have since been deleted that were very critical of police," Rampell said. "You said in those since-deleted tweets that the Metropolitan Nashville police department should be dissolved.
Another cheered on a teachers union saying that defund the police should be a requirement for schools reopening, and another saying Good morning, especially to the 54% of Americans that believe burning down a police station is justified."
Rampell then asked Behn, who is vying against Republican nominee Matt Van Epps for Tennessee's 7th Congressional District seat, whether she still stands by those comments. This seat was previously held by former GOP Rep. Mark Green, who resigned in June to pursue a career in the private sector.
In response to Rampell's question, Behn said, "Im not going to engage in cable news talking points, but what I will say is that, you know, our communities need solutions. We need local people deciding, solving local problems with local solutions. And thats not the overreach of a federal government or state government of which we are dealing with in Nashville and our cities across the state of Tennessee."
Despite Rampell's repeated attempts to get Behn to clarify her stance on police funding, Behn maintained, "Once again, I dont remember these tweets." When asked about her current position on the issue, Behn redirected the conversation to her campaign and the affordability issues facing her district's voters.
The 7th Congressional District, which spans central and western Tennessee, is a traditionally conservative area. In his 2024 White House victory, President Donald Trump won the district by a margin of 22 points. However, the district also encompasses parts of Nashville, Tennessees capital and most populous city, which leans Democratic.
In a 2020 podcast that resurfaced just days before the Dec. 2 special election, Behn criticized Nashville, the largest city in the district she hopes to represent. "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 stated on the podcast.
When questioned about these remarks by MS NOW host Al Sharpton, Behn explained that she and other Nashville natives sometimes feel annoyed by tourists, but that doesn't mean she doesn't love the city. Her supporters argue that her comments were taken out of context.
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