The Tennessee Bellwether: Democracy Under Duress in the Volunteer State

The Political Landscape

The scene at a multimillion-dollar barn filled with vintage cars in Tennessee this week presented a disturbing portrait of American democracy in crisis. Republican leadership, including Speaker Mike Johnson, five members of Congress, the state governor, and numerous donors gathered in what should have been a routine campaign event for a special election in Tennessee’s Seventh Congressional District. Instead, it became a spectacle of political desperation that reveals deeper problems within our democratic system.

Speaker Johnson’s decision to place a speakerphone call to former President Donald Trump during the rally underscored the extraordinary measures Republicans are taking to secure a district that should be safely conservative. Trump’s voice crackling through the speakers with the declaration that “the whole world is watching Tennessee right now” might have been dramatic political theater, but it also highlighted the alarming fragility of our political institutions when they become dependent on personality cults rather than principled governance.

The Stakes of the Special Election

This special election, caused by Representative Mark Green’s departure for the private sector, represents the final congressional race of 2025. The district itself cuts through Nashville and stretches to the borders with Alabama and Kentucky—territory that Trump won by more than 20 points just last year. Yet the Republican candidate, Matt Van Epps, finds himself in an unexpectedly tight race against Democratic State Representative Aftyn Behn.

The Emerson College survey showing Van Epps leading by only two percentage points has triggered what can only be described as political panic among Republican leadership. This reaction is particularly telling given that the district was carefully drawn through gerrymandering to favor Republican candidates—a practice that itself undermines democratic principles by predetermining outcomes rather than allowing voters to choose their representatives freely.

The Democratic Challenge

Aftyn Behn represents what many would consider a refreshing change in Southern politics—a candidate who refuses to conform to predetermined political expectations. Her support for transgender Tennesseans, her protests against immigration enforcement actions in Nashville, and her comments critical of police practices in 2020 have made her a target for Republican attacks. Yet these positions also reflect genuine engagement with contemporary issues that affect real people’s lives.

Behn’s campaign has drawn support from prominent Democrats including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and former Vice President Al Gore, who told supporters that “Tennessee has proven again and again that we can answer the call of democracy.” This multi-generational support demonstrates that democratic values transcend temporary political alignments and speak to something more fundamental about American governance.

The Rhetoric of Division

What should concern every democracy-loving American is not that a competitive election is occurring—healthy competition is the lifeblood of democracy—but the toxic rhetoric being deployed by Republican leadership. Senator Marsha Blackburn’s declaration that Behn is not the type of person who “should be representing Tennesseans” represents a dangerous anti-democratic sentiment. In a constitutional republic, the people—not political parties—decide who should represent them.

Representative Tim Burchett’s comment that “we are one flu season away from losing the majority” and his characterization of Behn’s positions as “far-left craziness” demonstrates a disturbing trend toward demonizing political opponents rather than engaging with their ideas. This rhetoric doesn’t just damage civil discourse—it undermines the very foundation of democratic governance, which requires mutual respect among citizens who hold different views.

The Deeper Democratic Crisis

The spectacle in Tennessee reveals several alarming trends in American democracy that demand sober reflection from all who value constitutional governance. First, the disproportionate influence of wealthy donors gathering in “sleek multimillion-dollar barns” raises serious questions about whether our political system still serves ordinary citizens or has been captured by economic elites.

Second, the characterization of political opposition as inherently dangerous or illegitimate represents a fundamental threat to democratic norms. When Speaker Johnson describes Behn as a “dangerous far leftist” who would be a “rubber stamp” for Democratic leadership, he’s not engaging in policy debate—he’s engaging in character assassination that makes constructive governance impossible.

Third, the Republican focus on maintaining their “razor-thin majority” at all costs suggests that political power has become an end in itself rather than a means to serve the public good. This prioritization of party over principle corrupts the democratic process and alienates citizens who expect their representatives to prioritize governance over gamesmanship.

The Path Forward for Democracy

What gives hope in this concerning political drama is the resilience of democratic engagement itself. Aftyn Behn’s surprising strength in a heavily gerrymandered district demonstrates that voters cannot be taken for granted—that when presented with authentic alternatives, they will consider crossing traditional political lines. Her comment that “National Republicans are panicking, because the story of the South is changing” suggests that democratic evolution continues despite efforts to control political outcomes.

The involvement of figures like Al Gore and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in supporting Behn’s campaign shows that democracy thrives when it embraces diverse perspectives rather than retreating into ideological silos. Ocasio-Cortez’s observation that running as a Democrat in such a Republican-favored district “takes a very special kind of person with a very special kind of guts” acknowledges the courage required to challenge political orthodoxies—exactly the kind of courage our democracy needs more of.

Conclusion: Reclaiming Democratic Values

As Tennessee voters prepare to cast their ballots, the real question isn’t which party wins this particular election, but whether American democracy can withstand the pressures being placed upon it. The spectacle of national political figures descending upon a local race with apocalyptic rhetoric suggests that our political system has lost its proper sense of proportion.

True democratic strength comes not from maintaining power through gerrymandering and demonization, but from earning the public’s trust through principled governance and respectful engagement with all citizens. The fact that a competitive election in Tennessee has triggered such panic reveals how fragile our democratic norms have become—and how urgently we need to recommit to the constitutional principles that have sustained our republic for nearly 250 years.

Ultimately, the Tennessee special election serves as a powerful reminder that democracy cannot be taken for granted. It requires constant vigilance, courageous leadership, and above all, a shared commitment to the fundamental truth that in a constitutional republic, the people—not political parties, not wealthy donors, not media personalities—are sovereign. However this particular election turns out, the real victory will belong to those who recognize that preserving our democratic institutions matters more than any temporary political advantage.