Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will headline a tele-rally Monday evening for Aftyn Behn the campaign announced Friday. It is the second time in three weeks Behn has featured a nationally polarizing progressive figure after promoting a November 7 event with Rep. Jasmine Crockett.
The virtual rally will also include former Vice President Al Gore, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, and LaTosha Brown, co-founder of Black Voters Matter. The lineup signals a clear focus on energizing Democratic base voters in the final hours before Tuesday’s special election rather than broadening Behn’s appeal to independents and moderates.
Republicans have spent weeks highlighting Behn’s progressive record and past activism in an effort to blunt her crossover support. Resurfaced clips from Behn’s organizing years show confrontations with law enforcement and her description of herself as “a very radical person,” footage the GOP argues reflects views out of step with a district President Trump carried by 22 points in 2024.
National attention has increased following polling that framed the race as competitive. Behn’s internal survey from October 29 put her down eight points, and an Emerson College poll released during early voting showed a 48–46 split. Both relied on turnout models that differ sharply from the district’s historical voting patterns.
Early-vote totals do not reflect the electorate those polls assumed. Davidson County — Behn’s largest Democratic source — accounted for about 25 percent of the 84,356 early votes cast, well short of the share she would likely need to remain competitive. Montgomery County also fell below the threshold required to offset Republican strength across the district’s remaining 12 counties.
Despite questions about the race’s actual competitiveness, outside groups have spent more than $7 million on the contest, surpassing what both campaigns have raised combined. Most of that money arrived in the final two weeks, with more than two-thirds directed toward negative ads.
President Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson will hold their own tele-rally Monday night for Republican nominee Matt Van Epps.
PHOTO: U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaks at a “Fight Oligarchy” rally at Mullett Arena in Tempe, Ariz. (Photo by Gage Skidmore)
