Democratic strategist says Tennessee nominee was ‘fringe of a fringe,’ doomed party's chances
While some Democrats described Aftyn Behn's single-digit loss in Tennessee's 7th Congressional District, a district that President Donald Trump won by 22 points last year, as an "overperformance," a team...
By Fox News · Fox News
While some Democrats described Aftyn Behn's single-digit loss in Tennessee's 7th Congressional District, a district that President Donald Trump won by 22 points last year, as an "overperformance," a team of Democratic researchers and analysts called the special election a "missed opportunity" for the party. Republican Matt Van Epps defeated Behn by about 9 percentage points on Tuesday, closing out a high-profile special election to replace former Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn. Despite losing, Democrats said Behn's inroads in the ruby-red district — along with November's gubernatorial wins in New Jersey and Virginia — proves their party is "on the offense." This is where Welcome, a pro-Democratic Party organization, disagrees. In an October report entitled "Deciding to Win," they cautioned their fellow party members that far-left positions are turning off voters. And on Wednesday, they poured cold water on the echo chamber that framed Behn's loss as a win. "The point is to win," said Liam Kerr, co-founder of Welcome when asked by Fox News Digital about the Tennessee election results. "Running a far-left candidate clearly did not put Democrats in the best position to win." DECISION DAY: TRUMP, SPEAKER JOHNSON, AOC BLITZ CAMPAIGN TRAIL IN MUST-WIN SPECIAL HOUSE ELECTION FOR GOP Kerr and his colleagues argued in the "Deciding to Win" report that Democrats should moderate their positions on identity politics and cultural issues while embracing affordability, border security and public safety ahead of competitive midterm elections expected next year. TRUMP-BACKED REPUBLICAN KEEPS CRUCIAL CONGRESSIONAL SEAT IN GOP HANDS WITH SPECIAL ELECTION VICTORY " Aftyn Behn was a missed opportunity ," Simon Bazelon, a research fellow at Welcome and a lead author of the report, said in a statement following Behn's loss. "Republicans were unusually vulnerable, but the right message isn't enough with the wrong track record. Democrats in red districts can’t just talk about affordability and ho…