Early voting in the 7th District Special Election to fill Mark Green’s seat rolls into the first weekend, with the Dec. 2 Election Day looming. Both parties are intensifying their efforts, as turnout will determine the result.

Democrats nationally are putting resources behind Aftyn Behn in the wake of their successes in New York City, Virginia, and New Jersey last week. At least two out of state PACs are now getting involved in Tennessee on her behalf. She had a tele TownHall with Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) last week after the Democratic government shut down and storms prevented Crockett from actually showing up in Nashville to campaign with Behn. Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin did make it to Tennessee to stump with Behn last weekend.

Republican Matt Van Epps went with his big gun, President Donald Trump, who did a twenty-minute telephone town hall promoting Van Epps on Thursday. Matt Van Epps has my complete and total endorsement in the race, and that’s because he really deserves it. He’s a true America First patriot who has dedicated his entire life to serving our country,” Trump said during the call.

Trump also directed some of his comments at Behn directly. “Matt’s opponent in the race is a left-wing lunatic named Aftyn Behn, who, as you understand, is not the greatest and who’s been called the AOC of Tennessee because of how radical left and how dangerous her policies are,” Trump pointed out.

Behn reportedly listened in on the call on Nov. 14, responding to Trumps’s comments with the Democrats talking point about healthcare, which is clearly polling well as an issue.

“I’ve spent my entire career focused on making healthcare more affordable, and I don’t think that’s ‘radical,’” Behn said.

The district is generally a solid Republican district, with Trump having carried it by over 20 points just last year. Low voter turnout in the primary, however, has Republicans concerned about getting voters engaged, as early voting falls over Thanksgiving and with no other candidates on the ballot. It’s a legitimate concern.

Video ads by the two candidates reveal the differences between the two. Behn will immediately give full support to the most “woke” elements of the far Left, anti-Trump Democrats in Washington, which would be a dramatic shift from the conservative representation provided by Mark, Green, which overwhelmingly reflected the values and views of the district.  Van Epps’ representation would continue the conservative approach that Green and other Tennessee Republicans across the state take to Washington.

The race will not be determined by Behn converting the conservative district to her views. It will solely be won or lost based upon which side gets their voters to the polls. In the first two days of early voting, Davidson County produced 2,437 votes versus the 960 cast at the same point in the primary, an indicator that Democrats are, in fact, turning out their base.

Overall, 11,593 voters have turned out district wide in the first two days. Montgomery County (Clarksville) has generated 2,995 votes, while generally reliably “red” Williamson county has recorded 1,404 votes.

Early voting ends on Nov. 26.

Steve Gill is editor and publisher of TriStar Daily.