PRESIDENT TRUMP URGES TENNESSEE VOTERS TO REJECT DEMOCRAT WHO COMPLAINED ABOUT PRAYER IN STATE LEGISLATURE
President Donald Trump urged Tennessee voters to reject Democratic congressional candidate Aftyn Behn in the December 2, 2025 special election for the state's 7th Congressional District, claiming she "hates Christianity" based on audio recordings of her past statements.
During a phone call with Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson on Monday, who was campaigning in Franklin, Tennessee for Republican candidate Matt Van Epps, Trump told voters that "the whole world is watching" the race to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of former Republican Rep. Mark Green.
In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump described Behn as "a woman who hates Christianity, will take away your guns, wants Open Borders, Transgender for everybody, men in women's sports, and openly disdains Country music. She said all of these things precisely, and without question. IT'S ON TAPE!"
Trump's assertion that Behn hates Christianity stems from an audio clip released by RNC Research last week showing the Democratic state legislator discussing her views on prayer in the Republican controlled Tennessee General Assembly during a 2024 appearance on the "Red State Blue Mom" podcast.
"As someone who is more secular, I have a hard time when religion is at the core of everything we do in the legislature. And so, for example, on the House floor, we say a prayer every session," Behn stated on the podcast.
"Some committees open up with prayer. We also stand for the pledge. There are also prayer groups in the legislature that meet routinely. There are Christian pastors that have a lot of say and proximity to power in the legislature and dictate a lot of what the power players do, and it is uncomfortable," she said.
The Christian Post reached out to Behn's campaign for comment on Trump's assertion. A response was not received by press time.
Behn also made negative comments about country music in a February 1, 2020 episode of a podcast she co hosted titled "GRITS." The audio, originally recorded in 2019, shows Behn declaring
"I've been heavily involved with the Nashville mayoral race because I hate this 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," she said.
Behn addressed the years old tape in a video posted to X on November 20, insisting her 2020 comments do not reflect her current views. "I always want Nashville to be better, right? I want Nashville to be a place where working people can thrive, right? But sure, I get mad at 'The Bachelorette' sometimes. I get mad at the pedal taverns, right?"
"You're talking to someone who has cried no less than 10 times in the Country Music Hall of Fame," she said. "We are so close to winning this race, which is why these rumors are getting more wild."
An Emerson College poll of 600 likely voters in Tennessee's 7th Congressional District released last week found 48 percent planned to back Van Epps while 46 percent supported Behn. Tennessee's 7th Congressional District supported Trump by 22 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election, meaning polling predicts a noticeable shift to the left compared to last year.
If Behn wins the election, Democrats would have one additional member in the closely divided U.S. House while Republicans would see their narrow majority shrink. Following the 2024 election, Republicans won 220 seats in the U.S. House while Democrats won 215.
The winner of Tuesday's election will finish Green's term and have to run for a full two year term as part of next year's midterm elections.
THE CRUSADER'S OPINION
Prayer before legislative sessions makes her uncomfortable.
Christian pastors having influence in the legislature makes her uncomfortable.
Religion being at the core of what they do makes her uncomfortable.
This is on tape.
In her own words.
Aftyn Behn is uncomfortable with Christianity in public life.
That disqualifies her from representing Tennessee's 7th Congressional District.
Tennessee is the buckle of the Bible Belt.
It was founded by Christians who prayed before doing the people's business.
Prayer before sessions is not an imposition.
It is an acknowledgment that legislators need divine wisdom to govern justly.
Behn calls herself "more secular" and complains that Christian pastors have "proximity to power."
Good.
They should.
Pastors provide moral guidance to leaders making laws that affect millions.
That is exactly what a healthy republic needs.
Behn's discomfort with public Christianity is the problem, not Tennessee's tradition of legislative prayer.
President Trump is right to call this out.
Christians cannot vote for candidates who are "uncomfortable" with their faith in public life.
The choice is clear.
TAKE ACTION
- Vote for Matt Van Epps if you live in Tennessee's 7th Congressional District on Tuesday, December 2, 2025. Support the Republican candidate who will defend religious freedom and Christian values in Congress instead of complaining about legislative prayer.
- Van Epps Campaign: www.mattvanepps.com
- Contact Tennessee Christian voters in the 7th District urging them to vote Tuesday for the candidate who respects Tennessee's Christian heritage. Share audio of Behn's complaints about prayer and Christian pastors having influence in the legislature.
- Pray for Tennessee's special election asking God to give victory to the candidate who will honor Christ in Congress and protect religious freedom. Pray Christians turn out in massive numbers to reject secular candidates uncomfortable with public Christianity.
- Support organizations defending legislative prayer and Christian influence in government through Alliance Defending Freedom and First Liberty Institute, fighting legal battles to protect public expressions of faith nationwide.
- Alliance Defending Freedom: www.adflegal.org
- First Liberty: www.firstliberty.org
- Phone: 972 941 4444
