“Our polling continues to show that we are shrinking those margins because of the affordability message that folks cannot afford health care, they can’t afford to live.”

On the heels of Democrats’ Blue Wave, Tennessee Democrat Aftyn Behn joined The Last Word to highlight the stakes of the upcoming special election for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District on December 2. 

Rep. Behn is running a strong campaign that is laser-focused on lowering costs for Tennessee families, including eliminating Tennessee’s grocery tax and protecting their health care. Matt Van Epps, on the other hand, said he would have supported Trump’s Big Ugly Bill despite the fact that it kicks 210,000 Tennesseans off their health insurance and puts nine rural hospitals on the brink of closure.

Republicans are spooked about this race, which is why the RNC, Club for Growth Action, and Conservatives for American Excellence PAC are each being forced to spend in this Trump +22 race.

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Key Points: 

• “Affordability is the crisis in Tennessee. Groceries, rent, utilities, and gas from Trump’s tariffs — everything is going up. In Washington, Republicans have no response to deal with the spiraling costs.”
  
• “I got my start as a health care organizer in the state of Tennessee, trying to make health care more affordable, and this race is one about health care. I have Republicans across the district reaching out and saying, ‘I will vote for a Democrat for the first time, if you promise to ensure the subsidies for the Affordable Care Act.’”
  
• “60% of our health care facilities in the state don’t have maternity care. We are in health care deserts, and the cuts to Medicaid after the passage of the Big, Ugly Bill will decimate not only rural hospitals, but also nursing homes. So it’s definitely at the forefront of everyone’s minds. At least one rural hospital will close in the district because of the big, ugly bill passing.”
  
• “Our polling continues to show that we are shrinking those margins because of the affordability message that folks cannot afford health care, they can’t afford to live. We have the highest inflationary cost of groceries in the country, and the Republicans don’t have a solution to that. Neither does my opponent, who is backed by President Trump and is a puppet to the puppet masters of the universe.”

• “I also want to flag that the Epstein files have been a major issue with the district, and you know, it’s just another example of the billionaire boys club getting away with crimes while regular Tennesseans get crushed with prices.”