Trump & Johnson Rally Tennessee: GOP Warns ‘Nothing Automatic’ in Red Stronghold

Paul Riverbank, 12/2/2025Tennessee's “safe” Republican seat faces an intense showdown—every vote could tip the House.

Republicans, sensing eyes from far beyond their state lines, rallied under a single message: every single ballot counts. Former President Trump himself, dialing in from afar at a Franklin rally, urged the hometown crowd, “Get out and vote. Show the world something.” The phrase echoed around downtown, where local lawmakers, Governor Bill Lee, and both U.S. Senators — Blackburn and Hagerty included — pressed flesh with voters and talked up Matt Van Epps, the GOP's man in the running and an ex-military name with deep local ties.

Speaker Mike Johnson, who’s watched more than a few tight races from behind his gavel, didn’t mince words either as he worked the circuit with Van Epps. “People always assume a red district like this just falls in line,” Johnson admitted, “but I’ve seen enough elections to know nothing is automatic. Not a single seat can be left to chance.” His message: Treat every corner voter like the last domino, one that could tip the balance in a shallow House majority.

That fear resonates for a reason — a single seat now can hand Congress back to the Democrats or strengthen Johnson’s advantage. The Republican campaign is running with the energy of someone who can't afford to blink.

But the Democrats sense tremors too. Their candidate, Aftyn Behn, fired up on the trail, has drawn more than whispers of national support. While the district isn’t known for flirting with Democratic upsets, this year’s political winds seem to blow in unpredictable directions. Behn’s campaign, propelled by grassroots volunteers, recently featured firebrand Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at a virtual rally, with appearances by Rep. Pramila Jayapal and former Vice President Al Gore — archival Tennessee ties not lost on older voters.

“Angry about the price of groceries? Tired of the runaround with hospital bills? December 2 is your day to shake up Washington,” Behn told her audience in one of her latest ads. There’s a cadence in her appeal that hints at the local, blending frustration with optimism, even if her detractors — and there are plenty — remain unconvinced.

The attacks aren’t subtle: Van Epps calls Behn “as far left as you can get,” warning she doesn’t “represent the values of Tennessee or America.” From the stage, Speaker Johnson has labeled her a “dangerous far leftist,” arguing she’d rubber-stamp the Democratic leadership’s every wish. Trump himself, never one for gentle phrasing, dredged up years-old podcast comments as supposed proof Behn “hates Christianity” and “hates country music.” The latter charge drew eye rolls in Nashville — even those who’ve complained about the raucous bachelorette parties and party bikes blocking traffic were quick to clarify what’s meant by a local’s venting.

Behn, for her part, tries to downplay old podcast takes, explaining, “Nashville is home. Sure, I grumble about the pedal taverns outside my door — who in this town doesn’t?” Her campaign chalks up the GOP barrage to nerves, arguing that heated rhetoric tracks with polling that puts this race in the ‘too close to call’ column.

Social media feeds and small-town cafes churn with speculation. Some fear their TV has become part of the backdrop, a blur of “radical” this and “out of step” that. Republican campaigners, meanwhile, double down, sifting through Behn’s old columns for more ammunition.

In the end, for all the attention and the high-wattage visitors, the outcome likely hinges on a handful of voters tucked between the Kentucky and Alabama lines, in suburban cul-de-sacs and scrappy pockets of Nashville. Trump cruised by 22 points in these parts last cycle; that’s what the math predicts. Yet, the lines at early voting, thickening beyond the usual, whisper that this time, the numbers might be more complicated.

Whether one seat really can tip the House, or whether this contest simply reveals the intensity of America’s divided politics, one thing is clear: No one is treating this as a mere formality. In a race where national politics collides with local loyalties, Tennessee’s 7th may have the nation’s undivided attention, if only for a day.

Suddenly, Tennessee's 7th Congressional District — usually a quiet chapter in the political almanac — is buzzing with the kind of urgency reserved for cliffhanger elections. On the eve of a key vote, the scene around here feels electrified, with Republican and Democratic foot soldiers fanning across county lines, leaflets and last-minute phone banks in tow.Republicans, sensing eyes from far beyond their state lines, rallied under a single message: every single ballot counts. Former President Trump himself, dialing in from afar at a Franklin rally, urged the hometown crowd, “Get out and vote. Show the world something.” The phrase echoed around downtown, where local lawmakers, Governor Bill Lee, and both U.S. Senators — Blackburn and Hagerty included — pressed flesh with voters and talked up Matt Van Epps, the GOP's man in the running and an ex-military name with deep local ties.Speaker Mike Johnson, who’s watched more than a few tight races from behind his gavel, didn’t mince words either as he worked the circuit with Van Epps. “People always assume a red district like this just falls in line,” Johnson admitted, “but I’ve seen enough elections to know nothing is automatic. Not a single seat can be left to chance.” His message: Treat every corner voter like the last domino, one that could tip the balance in a shallow House majority.That fear resonates for a reason — a single seat now can hand Congress back to the Democrats or strengthen Johnson’s advantage. The Republican campaign is running with the energy of someone who can't afford to blink.But the Democrats sense tremors too. Their candidate, Aftyn Behn, fired up on the trail, has drawn more than whispers of national support. While the district isn’t known for flirting with Democratic upsets, this year’s political winds seem to blow in unpredictable directions. Behn’s campaign, propelled by grassroots volunteers, recently featured firebrand Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at a virtual rally, with appearances by Rep. Pramila Jayapal and former Vice President Al Gore — archival Tennessee ties not lost on older voters.“Angry about the price of groceries? Tired of the runaround with hospital bills? December 2 is your day to shake up Washington,” Behn told her audience in one of her latest ads. There’s a cadence in her appeal that hints at the local, blending frustration with optimism, even if her detractors — and there are plenty — remain unconvinced.The attacks aren’t subtle: Van Epps calls Behn “as far left as you can get,” warning she doesn’t “represent the values of Tennessee or America.” From the stage, Speaker Johnson has labeled her a “dangerous far leftist,” arguing she’d rubber-stamp the Democratic leadership’s every wish. Trump himself, never one for gentle phrasing, dredged up years-old podcast comments as supposed proof Behn “hates Christianity” and “hates country music.” The latter charge drew eye rolls in Nashville — even those who’ve complained about the raucous bachelorette parties and party bikes blocking traffic were quick to clarify what’s meant by a local’s venting.Behn, for her part, tries to downplay old podcast takes, explaining, “Nashville is home. Sure, I grumble about the pedal taverns outside my door — who in this town doesn’t?” Her campaign chalks up the GOP barrage to nerves, arguing that heated rhetoric tracks with polling that puts this race in the ‘too close to call’ column.Social media feeds and small-town cafes churn with speculation. Some fear their TV has become part of the backdrop, a blur of “radical” this and “out of step” that. Republican campaigners, meanwhile, double down, sifting through Behn’s old columns for more ammunition.In the end, for all the attention and the high-wattage visitors, the outcome likely hinges on a handful of voters tucked between the Kentucky and Alabama lines, in suburban cul-de-sacs and scrappy pockets of Nashville. Trump cruised by 22 points in these parts last cycle; that’s what the math predicts. Yet, the lines at early voting, thickening beyond the usual, whisper that this time, the numbers might be more complicated.Whether one seat really can tip the House, or whether this contest simply reveals the intensity of America’s divided politics, one thing is clear: No one is treating this as a mere formality. In a race where national politics collides with local loyalties, Tennessee’s 7th may have the nation’s undivided attention, if only for a day.