Tennessee Candidate Stands Firm on Past Comments

Aftin Behn, the Democratic candidate for Congress in Tennessee, did not back down from his previous statements advocating for police defunding during a recent interview on “MS NOW.” This comes amid his campaign for the special election in the 7th Congressional District.

In tweets from 2020, which have since been deleted, Behn made strong claims about law enforcement. He suggested disbanding the Nashville Metropolitan Police Department, argued that defunding the police should be a prerequisite for reopening schools, and even implied that burning police stations could be justified. However, when host Katherine Lampbell raised these statements during the interview, Behn was notably evasive about whether he continues to hold those views.

“You mentioned disbanding the Nashville police,” Lampbell noted, pressing for clarity. “Do you still support those comments? If not, would you like to clarify?” Behn’s response was somewhat vague. He stated, “I’m not going to evaluate cable news talking points,” but emphasized that local communities need local solutions while steering the conversation away from his past tweets.

When further questioned, Behn claimed he didn’t recall the tweet and instead expressed his focus on the upcoming election.

Mr. Behn is up against Republican Matt Van Epps, a former commissioner under Governor Bill Lee. During his campaign, Behn has expressed disappointment in the state and its constituents, previously calling Tennessee a “Godforsaken” state and criticizing the local culture. He has also made controversial remarks about aspects of Tennessee life, suggesting that college sororities represent “white supremacy.”

Additionally, he has shown support for taxpayer-funded surgeries for transgender minors, challenging some traditional views within the state.