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For the first time since losing the 2024 presidential election, Former Vice President Kamala Harris returned to the campaign trail on Tuesday, this time in a surprise appearance with Democratic congressional candidate Aftyn Behn.
Fox News confirmed that Harris headlined a canvassing kickoff event for the Tennessee state representative after visiting Fisk University, a historically Black college, and before hosting a book tour event for her memoir "107 Days" at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee.
Tuesday's canvass kickoff marked the first time Harris has campaigned for a candidate since losing the White House to President Donald Trump a year ago, and her appearance comes as Democrats are energized from their gubernatorial wins in Virginia and New Jersey earlier this month. While a Democrat hasn't won in Tennessee's 7th Congressional District in decades, Democrats have been all in for the ruby-red district.
"Kamala Harris must’ve fallen out of the coconut tree if she thinks the AOC of Tennessee stands a chance. This is Trump country and Republicans will win Dec. 2," Republican National Committee Spokeswoman Delanie Bomar told Fox News Digital in a statement.
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The former vice president told the crowd at Nashville's Hadley Park, "Why am I in Tennessee? Because I know the power is in the South," according to The New York Times.
The outlet noted that Harris did not mention Behn by name but urged the crowd to get out the vote.
Harris first returned to the campaign trail earlier this month for a rally supporting her home state's redistricting efforts. California Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered a special election this year to level the playing field against Trump-backed efforts to redraw congressional maps in Texas and across the U.S. ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. "Prop 50" passed on Election Day, handing Democrats up to five more likely blue congressional districts.
Former Democratic National Committee vice chair and progressive firebrand David Hogg also campaigned in Nashville last weekend for Behn, the rising liberal star dubbed the "AOC of Tennessee."
"Hey, young Democrats, I am incredibly excited to be here supporting Aftyn in her run for Congress," Hogg said in an Instagram video while flanked by two young Democrats. "This seat is super, super youth-centric. If young people turn out and vote here, we can flip this seat and send a clear message to Donald Trump and Republicans across the country that we are done with their bulls — and the rest of the country is."
On Saturday, Hogg joined Behn in Nashville for a "Young Gets It Done" rally and canvass launch at the Metro Courthouse Public Square, encouraging young voters to get out and support Behn.
According to her campaign website, Behn is a "p------ off social worker" who decided to run for Congress after Republicans passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act earlier this year — a megabill that included tax cuts and Medicaid reform.
Behn described the bill as "a giveaway to the wealthy that codified the largest transfer of wealth from working people to the rich in American history."
She is a state representative in the Tennessee House and a longtime community organizer and activist. Like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., the fellow millennial is active on social media. She also authors a Substack page that is linked to the "Issues" tab on her campaign website.
DNC Chair Ken Martin also campaigned in Tennessee for Behn last week as early voting kicked off across the state, highlighting her agenda to lower "healthcare and grocery costs, vote to release the Epstein files, and stand up to Trump and his acolytes like Van Epps."
Behn is vying to replace former Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., in Congress. A Democrat hasn't been elected to represent Tennessee's 7th District in the U.S. House of Representatives in decades.
Republican Matt Van Epps, a former commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services who has worked for several state agencies, defeated an 11-candidate field to secure the Republican nomination last month.
While Behn has the support of both the Democratic establishment and its progressive wing, Van Epps has secured endorsements from President Donald Trump, Republican Gov. Bill Lee and Green, who retired from Congress after the "big, beautiful bill" passed this year.
Trump held a tele-rally for Van Epps last week in the district the president won by roughly 22 points last year. Tennessee’s 7th District includes parts of Nashville and its large suburban and rural surrounding areas.
The top outside political group that supported Trump's successful 2024 run, MAGA Inc., also launched ads to support Van Epps on Wednesday, Fox News Digital was the first to report.
The ads, which MAGA Inc. says will run on broadcast TV and digital and are backed by a seven-figure buy that also includes investments in get-out-the-vote efforts, are the first by the group since last year's presidential election.
Meanwhile, the RNC has staff on the ground in Tennessee and is making a six-figure investment into the race, according to a spokesperson.
Fox News Digital reached out to Harris' office for a response to the RNC's comment but did not immediately hear back.
Fox News Digital's Paul Steinhauser and Fox News' Patrick Ward contributed to this report.
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