Epstein controversy plays a role in Tennessee electionpublished at 18:15 GMT
Anthony Zurcher
North America correspondent
Image source, Anthony Zurcher / BBC
As the House of Representatives prepares to vote on mandating the release of the Epstein files, voters in central Tennessee are heading to the polls for early voting in a special election to fill a vacant House seat.
The Epstein issue has already made waves in this race, with left-wing groups supporting Democrat Aftyn Behn spending $300,000 to air adverts accusing the Republican candidate, Matt Van Epps, of wanting to keep the Epstein files “locked away”.
I’m outside a voting location in Nashville, the state capital, where Democrats hope heavy liberal turnout will help Behn. The voters I’ve spoken with so far have all been paying attention to the latest twists in the Epstein story, including today’s House of Representatives vote.
Image source, Meiying Wu / BBCImage caption,
Amanda Gleaton spoke with the BBC about her concerns in today’s special election
Amanda Gleaton tells me that while affordability and the economy are big issues in this campaign, “transparency” – including a full accounting of Epstein’s ties to the wealthy and powerful – is also at the top of her mind.
While the Tennessee’s Seventh Congressional District is reliably Republican, having supported Donald Trump by more than 20% in last year’s presidential election, polls suggest this may be a tight race. If Behn wins on 2 December, it would be perhaps the most dramatic sign so far this year that the national mood is turning against Trump and the Republicans.
