President Donald Trump has criticised Democratic politician Aftyn Behn ahead of a hotly contested special election in Tennessee.
In a social media post on Sunday, Trump claimed Behn “hates Christianity” and “openly disdains country music”.
Trump made the comments after endorsing Republican candidate Matt Van Epps.
Introducing his criticism online, Trump told supporters that Behn was “a woman who hates Christianity”.
He added that she “wants open borders” and “men in women’s sports”, and insisted “she said all of these things precisely… IT’S ON TAPE!”.
The tirade appeared to refer to a 2020 podcast interview in which Behn had said of Nashville: “I hate the city, I hate the bachelorettes, I hate the pedal taverns, I hate country music.”
In a later interview with the Rev Al Sharpton on his MS NOW show, she explained: “As a Nashvillian, I think we all get a little annoyed with the tourists… but that doesn’t mean I [don’t] love my city.”
Behn, a state representative and former social worker, defeated Vincent Dixie, Bo Mitchell and businessman Darden Copeland in October’s Democratic primary.