Can Aftyn Behn Pull Off A Stunning Upset In TN-07?
A close Emerson College poll has put Behn within two points of her Republican opponent in the special election.
SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYCredibility rates Crooks and Liars, where this article appeared. The other scores rate the article itself.
Crooks and Liars is a blog with a clear author attribution, but the page presents commentary alongside material credited to The Nation. The visible sourcing is useful, though the page provides little evidence here of formal editorial or corrections practices.
- Source type — A blog rather than an established wire service or general-news newsroom.
- Author attribution — The post names Ed Scarce and identifies The Nation as a source for material.
- Editorial standards — The page offers no visible detail about formal editorial standards or corrections practices.
The post provides specific polling figures and attributes detailed subgroup results to Emerson College Polling’s executive director. It offers little information about the poll’s methodology and does not include a response from Van Epps or his campaign, while much of the case for Behn’s prospects rests on one survey.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The article includes polling figures favoring both candidates in different voter groups, but its overall framing favors Behn and gives little space to Van Epps beyond the poll results.
- Source diversity — A named pollster is quoted, but no Van Epps campaign representative or other independent source is included.
- Loaded language — The description of Van Epps as a “corporate Republican” and Fox News critics as “apoplectic” adds a clear evaluative tone.
- Counterarguments presented — The polling results show strengths for both candidates, though the article does not develop a case for Van Epps.
The framing emphasizes Behn’s potential upset and Democratic momentum, while describing Van Epps as a “corporate Republican” and highlighting hostile Fox News reactions to Behn.
- Framing — The article presents Behn’s close polling as a possible major upset and emphasizes her campaign’s visible support.
- Language tone — It calls Van Epps a “corporate Republican” and describes Fox News critics as “apoplectic.”
- Source selection — The post gives substantial space to Behn’s campaign and polling strengths without a response from Van Epps or his campaign.
Original publisher not identified
This article credits another publisher, which ChamberLight has not identified, so the scores are Crooks and Liars's own.
Aftyn Behn is polling two points behind Republican Matt Van Epps in Tennessee’s 7th District special election, a race the article says could produce a major upset. The post highlights Behn’s campaign support and polling breakdowns ahead of the December 2 vote.
The article describes the Tennessee 7th District special election as unexpectedly competitive. An Emerson College Polling survey put Aftyn Behn at 46 percent and Matt Van Epps at 48 percent. Polling director Spencer Kimball said early voters and voters under 40 favored Behn, while Election Day voters and older voters favored Van Epps. The election is scheduled for December 2.
The post also points to visible support for Behn, including “bridge brigades” and more than a million dollars in Democratic National Committee support and phone banking. It reproduces Behn’s appeal to voters on the last day of early voting and says Fox News commentators criticized her as a “crazy left-wing radical.”
Community verdict
VOTING CLOSED
No good or bad look here
This story reports what happened without casting Behn in a good or bad light, so readers don’t rate it and it doesn’t count toward Behn’s record.
People in this story
SWIPE →Democratic candidate in the special election for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District
President whose prior district result is cited as electoral context
Republican candidate opposing Behn in the special election
Part of a bigger story
13 OUTLETSOutlets agree Aftyn Behn and Republican Matt Van Epps competed in the Dec. 2 special election for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District, with Behn as the Democratic candidate. Left-leaning outlets present Behn’s close polling as a possible upset. Center outlets treat the race mainly as a preview, with some presenting it as a test of Democratic momentum before 2026. Right-leaning outlets emphasize Behn’s past remarks, positions, or allies, with some also urging Republican turnout.
- ARTICLES
- 13
- OUTLETS
- 13
- AVG CRED
- 58
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