UPDATE #1, 7:15 pm EST — For Analysis and Live Results
— Voting Trend, begins LIVE at 7:15 pm EST
— MS Now, Steve Kornacki — begins LIVE at 7:45 pm EST
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Live Results (Polls close in TN at 7:00 pm CST, or 8:00 pm EST)
Please Read This
Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District.
Today is an important special election in Tennessee to fill a congressional seat in TN’s 7th Congressional District for the US House of Representatives. If you have family and friends who live in the district, feel free to share this diary with them. This is an incredibly close election; that every vote matters is obvious.
It has useful information on the Democratic nominee, State Representative Aftyn Behn, why they should support her, how they can still volunteer at or donate to her campaign on Election Day, and other useful voting and registration information.
Aftyn recorded this must-watch video last night, mocking Trump for “living rent-free in his mind.” Great message! :-)
Tennessee Special Election on Tue 12/2 — Who is Aftyn Behn?
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Uniter
Nashville & Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District, you CANNOT AFFORD to miss ELECTION DAY VOTE for @aftynbehn.bsky.social
Dec. 2 Tues till 7pm, longer if in line🗳️ iwillvote.com?state=TN
#ResistanceUnited #ProudBlue #Voices4Victory #DemVoice1 via @motherjones.com www.tiktok.com/t/ZTrUk3e2X/
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— Divider Decider👩🏻⚖️🌊⚖️(Let me officiate) (@dividerdecider.bsky.social) December 1, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Council President and Councilwoman Zulfat Suara on endorsing Aftyn Behn.
How has Aftyn Behn come within a whisker of this most improbable of political upsets? Though only in her mid-30s, she has been working on the ground level as a political organizer for years. If one listens to her, it is easy to understand where her passion for social and economic justice comes from. She is the real deal, and authenticity and belief in the politics of inclusivity — as we saw in the New York City Mayoral Race the past several months — will carry a candidate far.
One need not hold several graduate degrees to discern when one’s being lied to by fake populists whose only interest is bettering themselves and their corrupt friends rather than genuinely caring about their constituents. In Donald Trump’s world, there are never enough tax cuts or tax loopholes to be doled out in this new Gilded Age. And Behn has brilliantly exposed Trump and his lackies as being nothing more than self-centered and selfish politicians interested in caring only about the insanely rich — the poor, the working poor, and the middle class be damned!
An article in the Tennessean newspaper details her struggle in progressive political trenches over the past decade.
Being a political organizer can lead to bigger things.
Aftyn Behn is a longtime political organizer seeking to flip Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District.
Raised by working-class parents in Knoxville, she earned a graduate degree in social work, and then spent nearly a decade organizing across Middle Tennessee, advocating for Medicaid expansion, fighting rural hospital closures, and seeking to lower the cost of living and build a more inclusive democracy.
Behn was elected in 2023 to represent a state House district. Since then, she has sponsored legislation to repeal Tennessee’s 4% grocery tax, change corporate tax rules, restore abortion access, and reform how the legislature handles sexual assault complaints.
Behn's campaign has focused on affordability and basic government functionality. Her campaign slogan is to “feed kids, fix roads and fund hospitals.”
Can Aftyn Behn Win This Election?
Democratic nominee, Tennessee State Representative Aftyn Behn, has run a fantastic campaign to flip this seat in TN’s 7th Congressional District in the US House of Representatives.
Relentlessly focused on affordability issues and criticizing Republican inaction on healthcare has propelled her to a virtual tie with her Republican opponent, according to an Emerson College poll.
Of the more than 84,000 voters who have voted early, Behn leads by 14 points, 56%-42%. Could her opponent garner enough in-person votes on election day to win? Maybe not, according to the below analysis.
This is a Congressional District in TN that Trump won by 22 points and a state that Trump won 64%-34% in 2024. There is no way that Behn should be so close to winning this seat, but here we are!
Another important factor to consider is the turnout in both the Democratic and Republican primaries for this seat. Granted, this is an off-cycle special election, but turnout was down 75% compared to the 2024 General Election, particularly in GOP strongholds. Remember, the assumption is that Republicans will turn out in droves on Election Day to nullify the early vote advantage that Behn currently enjoys.
Will they do so? I’m not sure about that.
For a larger image, click this link
The Democratic Party hasn’t won TN’s 7th Congressional District in forty years. Even if Aftyn Behn can come within single digits of her opponent, that would translate into a serious political disaster for Republicans in the 2026 Midterm Elections. If the GOP cannot easily win districts that Trump won by more than 20%, where can they do so?
If Aftyn Behn wins this special election...
How YOU Can Help
The election is today, Tuesday, December 2nd. Here’s how you can make a difference. If you live in or near Nashville, contact the campaign to see how you can help. You won’t regret it. I spent much of the year down in Nashville for the 2000 Gore Presidential Campaign.
Don’t fall for fake news like this.
If you live in TN’s 7th District — and have any questions about voter registration, eligibility, voter IDs required, and other such matters, please refer to this article or contact the Aftyn Behn Campaign.
How to Contact the Campaign
Here are Campaign Events on Tuesday, December 2nd, that you can help with! Remember, Nashville is on Central Standard Time (CST).
Tuesday, December 2nd, 10:00 am-2:00 pm CST — Nashville, TN
Tuesday, Dec 2, 7:00 pm-11:00 pm CST — Nashville, TN
Read this article after Aftyn Behn was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatuves in 2023 — Meet the AOC of Tennessee: Aftyn Behn will be sworn into the Tennessee House of Representatives Wednesday — The 33-year-old, progressive community organizer represents a new vision of Tennessee’s Democratic party
Who is Eligible to Vote and What Kind of ID is Required?
Polls open as early as 7:00 am CST in some counties; refer to this article for poll opening times in various counties. Please note that all polls close in the 7th District at 7:00 pm CST. If you are in line at your polling precinct by the time polls close, you can still vote.
To be an eligible voter, you must be a US citizen, reside in Tennessee, and be at least 18 years old by Election Day.
More details are in this article.
Only eligible voters who live in U.S. House District 7 — which includes parts of Middle and West Tennessee — may vote in the Dec. 2 election.
The 7th District spans all or parts of 14 counties, and includes Clarksville, parts of North and West Nashville, Dickson, south and western Williamson County, and stretches down to the Alabama border. If you live in one of these counties you can vote: Cheatham, Decatur, Dickson, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Montgomery, Perry, Robertson, Stewart and Wayne.
You may be able to vote if you live in one of these counties: Davidson, Williamson and Benton. You may search your congressional district online at GoVoteTN.gov. According to the Tennessee Secretary of State, the simplest way to find your nearest polling location is through the GoVoteTN app.
According to the Tennessee Secretary of State’s website, here’s what you need to vote in this election.
All voters must present a federal or Tennessee state ID containing the voter’s name and photograph when voting at the polls, whether voting early or on Election Day unless an exemption below applies.
— Understand What IDs Are Acceptable
Any of the following IDs may be used, even if expired:
* First time voters who register by mail or using Online Voter Registration, if the ID is expired, the voter must also present one of the following :
- a copy of a current utility bill,
- bank statement,
- government check,
- paycheck, or
- other government document that shows the voter’s name and address.
— Understand what IDs are NOT acceptable
The following IDs are NOT acceptable:
- College student IDs
- Photo IDs not issued by the federal or Tennessee state government are NOT acceptable. This includes county or city issued photo IDs, such as library cards, and photo IDs issued by other states.
— Understand who is exempt
The following individuals are exempt:
- Voters who vote absentee by mail (view requirements here)
- Voters who are residents of a licensed nursing home or assisted living center and who vote at the facility
- Voters who are hospitalized
- Voters with a religious objection to being photographed
- Voters who are indigent and unable to obtain a photo ID without paying a fee
You “Better Vote Tuesday!”
The special election for #TN7 is happening today, December 2nd. If you didn’t vote early, here’s your last chance!
