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Aftyn Behn wins Democratic Primary for District 51 statehouse seat

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Anthony Davis has conceded the special Democratic primary election for District 51 state representative to Aftyn Behn.

Davis, a former two-term Metro councilmember, is the founder and CEO of the local brewery East Nashville Beer Works. He was appointed to the seat last month after the death of Democratic state Rep. Bill Beck.

“I congratulate Aftyn Behn and know she will work hard for us and do great things,” he tweeted Thursday evening.

This result means progressive activist Aftyn Behn will face Republican David Hooven in the general election next month.

Behn has organized lobby days and protests at the statehouse and was removed from the Tennessee House floor during a demonstration in 2019.

“I really look at my role as shifting from an outside agitator to an inside organizer and colleague in order to win some seats in 2024 so we can actually pass some progressive policies,” Behn told the Nashville Scene.

Davis will serve during the legislative special session this summer. If Behn defeats Hooven, she’ll take over in the fall.

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Char Daston

Char Daston is a reporter and newscast writer for WPLN. Char got his start in public radio as an intern at WYSO public radio in Yellow Springs, Ohio, where he answered questions sent in by listeners for a program called WYSO Curious. He went on to work at St. Louis Public Radio and WBEZ Chicago, where he produced the daily talk show Reset and reported for the education desk. His work has also appeared in Curious City, Chicago Magazine and the Chicago Sun-Times. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Char attended college and grad school at the University of Chicago, where he wrote his master’s thesis on the politics of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. As a journalist, he is interested in the ways big political decisions and historical events shape our everyday lives. He loves to learn about education, the arts, activism and the ways people help one another. Unable to settle on one creative project, Char enjoys writing poetry, plays and video essays in his spare time. You’ll likely find him rushing to choir rehearsal or seeking out Nashville’s best Thai and Korean food.

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