Senator Marsha Blackburn took to Newsmax’s Wake Up America to sound the alarm about what she rightly called a growing disconnect between radical Democratic policies and the values of everyday Tennesseans. She warned that the national left has doubled down on cultural assaults and reckless ideas that don’t belong in Middle Tennessee, and she urged voters to pay attention to who really represents their communities. Blackburn’s comments were a timely reminder that Washington’s left-wing experiments often arrive first in local races and then spread if they are not stopped.
The special election for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District has become the frontline in that battle, with Republican Matt Van Epps facing Democrat Aftyn Behn on December 2, 2025 to fill the seat vacated by Rep. Mark Green. What should be a routine hold for the GOP has turned into a close, high-stakes fight, and conservatives know that one upset here would send a dangerous signal to Democrats nationwide. This district has been reliably conservative, and the surge of activist energy behind Behn is exactly the reason Blackburn and other Republicans are mobilizing hard.
Republicans have not been shy about pointing out why Behn is so controversial — resurfaced social posts and recorded comments show a record of hostility toward law enforcement and Tennessee’s own cultural traditions that many voters will find shocking. Newsmax and other outlets have documented Behn’s past remarks about defunding police and disparaging Nashville’s music and culture, evidence that she has spent years cozying up to fringe ideas rather than representing working families. Conservatives see that record as proof she is more interested in virtue-signaling than in lowering grocery prices, fixing roads, or keeping hospitals open.
Polling shows just how much is at stake: an Emerson College survey released late in November found Van Epps leading by only a slim margin, turning what should be a safe Republican seat into a test of our party’s ground game and messaging. That tightness has prompted national figures, including President Trump and House leaders, to pour time and attention into the district because a single loss could imperil a fragile GOP majority in the House. This isn’t abstract politics — it’s about whether conservatives can stop the creeping radicalism that Blackburn warns about from gaining another foothold in Congress.
President Trump’s vocal support for Van Epps — including calls to mobilize voters and emphasize how out of step Behn is with district values — has underscored how seriously Republicans view this contest. The president’s involvement highlights a simple truth: when Democrats nominate candidates who embrace extreme rhetoric and attack local culture, grassroots patriots have to respond with everything they’ve got. Blackburn, Trump, and Tennessee conservatives are all saying the same thing — this is a moment to stand up for law and order, common-sense values, and the families who keep this state running.
Hardworking Tennesseans don’t want elected officials who spend more time chasing headlines than solving problems at home. Blackburn’s message is a call to action: voters must reject the left’s experiments and elect representatives who will protect community safety, fiscal responsibility, and parental rights. This special election is an American civic duty wrapped in a local choice — and conservatives should treat it as the referendum it is on whether Tennessee will remain a place that values faith, family, and freedom.
