President Trump’s approval is dropping across the country, even in states that backed him strongly in 2016 and 2020. That’s partly why Democrats did so well in elections in 2025. Aftyn Behn was one of those Democrats. In a December special election in a U.S. House district in the Nashville area that Trump won by 22 percentage points in 2024, Behn lost by just nine. And Behn didn’t succeed by bashing her own party, as many red-state Democrats do. Instead, the progressive and former Invisible staffer leaned into affordability issues and Trump’s connections to Jeffrey Epstein. In the latest edition of Right Now, she describes why her campaign was so successful. Behn, who is a state representative, also explains why it’s critical for Democrats across the country to pay attention to what happens in GOP-dominated states like Tennessee.
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Why Trump Is Losing Ground Even in This Deep-Red State | Right Now With Perry Bacon
Tennessee’s Aftyn Behn explains how she nearly won a special election in a very-red U.S. House district last month.
Right Now With Perry Bacon
A twice-weekly show about national politics with a focus on the radicalism of the Trump administration and tactics to combat it. The program features in-depth discussions with experts and politicians. It goes beyond the daily headlines to explain why things are happening and put them in a broader context.
A twice-weekly show about national politics with a focus on the radicalism of the Trump administration and tactics to combat it. The program features in-depth discussions with experts and politicians. It goes beyond the daily headlines to explain why things are happening and put them in a broader context.Appears in episode
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