Nashville State Rep Blames Tourists For Why She Declared ‘I Hate’ the City

The Rev. Al Sharpton asked Nashville state Rep. Aftyn Behn (D) on Saturday what her response was to resurfaced clips of her declaring that she hated her hometown.

As Behn ramps up her campaign for Congress, Republicans have seized on the bizarre comment she once made on a podcast about hating Nashville and country music.

“Republicans are feeling the heat and trying to paint you as a radical. Trump has called you ‘The AOC of Tennessee,'” Sharpton said, referring to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), who identifies as a democratic socialist. “And Republicans have resurface old comments that you made about not liking country music.”

“As a Nashvillian, I think we all get a little annoyed with the tourists that come to town,” Behn said by way of explanation, “but that doesn’t mean I [don’t] love my city. In fact, instead of sitting on the sideline and complaining about it, I decided to run for office, and that’s why I’m the state representative that represents downtown Nashville.”

Behn continued, “And finally, I don’t think it’s that radical to want to to be organizing to make health care more affordable in the state of Tennessee, which is what I’ve been doing my entire career, unlike my opponent who’s bought and sold by special interests.”

Her appearance on MS NOW comes after a 2020 podcast clip resurfaced where Behn listed several reasons she despised Nashville.

“I hate the 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 is running in a special election against MAGA politician Matt Van Epps (R) and is seen as one of the Democrats’s best shots at flipping a red seat blue. The seat was most recently filled by Republican Mark Green, who resigned on July 20 for a job in the private sector.

Trump has personally endorsed Van Epps and a Republican PACs have sunk $2 million into his campaign.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris recently campaigned for Behn in Nashville, while a House Democratic super PAC spent $1 million on television and digital ads, according to Politico.

Sharpton mentioned that the latest NPR/PBS/Marist poll showed 55% of voters said they’d support  a Democrat over a Republican if the midterms were held today.

“The reason this race is competitive is because the Washington Republican agenda has not addressed the rising cost of health care and living, and instead, they’ve sold us out to the billionaire boys club,” Behn said. “And Tennessee voters want change, not more of the same.”

Watch the clip above via MS NOW.