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Kamala Harris returns to campaign trail in Trump country to back ‘AOC of Tennessee’

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Kamala Harris returns to campaign trail in Trump country to back ‘AOC of Tennessee’

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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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Former Vice President Kamala Harris attends a Yes on Proposition 50 rally at the Los Angeles Convention Center Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. (Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

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.

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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.”

U.S. 7th Congressional District candidate Aftyn Behn speaks during a political forum Monday, Sept. 8, 2025, in Dickson, Tennessee. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

“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.

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According to her campaign website, Behn is a “p—ed 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.

Gov. Bill Lee, R-Tenn, (right) endorsed Matt Van Epps to represent Tennessee’s seventh congressional district. (Matt Van Epps Campaign)

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.”

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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.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris released a book, “107 Days,” on Sept. 23, 2025, recounting her time on the unprecedented 2024 campaign trail after then-President Joe Biden dropped out of the race. (Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

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.

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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.

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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. 

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Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser and Fox News’ Patrick Ward contributed to this report.

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Naked woman allegedly assaults deputy while intoxicated, claims she was ‘trying to be a mermaid’

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Naked woman allegedly assaults deputy while intoxicated, claims she was ‘trying to be a mermaid’

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A Louisiana woman’s attempt to go for a skinny-dip did not end swimmingly, authorities said, after she allegedly attacked a sheriff’s deputy responding to a trespassing complaint before finally surrendering to deputies Tuesday.

According to the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched in November to a residence in the Linville community of Marion after a caller reported a neighbor standing in their driveway screaming and refusing to leave the property despite having been warned previously.

When a patrol deputy arrived, authorities said the suspect was found nude and swimming in a pond located on the caller’s property. 

The woman was later identified as Erin Elizabeth Sutton, 41, of Marion. Sutton initially refused to exit the pond or speak with the deputy, telling him she was “trying to be a mermaid,” according to a sheriff’s office Facebook post.

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Erin Elizabeth Sutton, 41, is accused of threatening a sheriff’s deputy in Louisiana after being caught skinny-dipping in a neighbor’s pond. She claimed she was “trying to be a mermaid,” according to police. (Union Parish Sheriff’s Office / Getty Images)

After repeated commands, Sutton eventually exited the pond. Due to cold temperatures, emergency medical services were contacted to evaluate her, authorities said. 

A blanket was provided, and as the deputy attempted to escort Sutton inside a residence to warm up, she allegedly charged at him.

Authorities said Sutton ignored multiple commands to comply and resisted detention. A taser was deployed but had no effect, according to the sheriff’s office. Sutton was taken to the ground, where she allegedly continued to resist, kicking and punching the deputy before being restrained.

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The Union Parish Sheriff’s Office in Farmerville, La., announced on Facebook that 41-year-old Erin Elizabeth Sutton had allegedly attacked and threatened one of their deputies after skinny-dipping in a neighbor’s pond, citing she was “trying to be a mermaid.” (Google Maps)

Sutton was transported to a hospital for further treatment. During the transport, she allegedly threatened to kill deputies and paramedics, authorities said.

Because Sutton required medical care at the time, deputies later sought arrest warrants, which were signed by a judge in Louisiana’s Third Judicial District Court, according to the sheriff’s office.

Sutton surrendered to deputies on Jan. 6, 2025, and was arrested on multiple charges, including three counts of resisting an officer with force or violence, two counts of public intimidation, two counts of battery of a police officer, disturbing the peace/drunkenness and criminal trespassing.

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According to the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched in November to a residence in the Linville community of Marion after a caller reported a neighbor was trespassing. (iStock)

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Her bond was set at $62,000, authorities said.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office for additional comment but did not immediately receive a response. It was not immediately clear whether Sutton has retained legal representation.

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Dem governor-elect taps Crockett’s former ‘chief brand strategist’ for top DEI role

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Dem governor-elect taps Crockett’s former ‘chief brand strategist’ for top DEI role

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FIRST ON FOX: Soon-to-be Virginia Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger has tapped the former “chief brand strategist” for Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, to serve in the state’s top diversity, equity and inclusion role.

In a Tuesday statement, Spanberger, who takes office on Jan. 17, announced she is appointing Dr. Sesha Joi Moon to serve as Virginia’s chief diversity officer and director of diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

Spanberger said that Moon’s “experience across government, education, and the nonprofit sectors gives her firsthand insight into the ways in which we can build a stronger, safer, and more prosperous Virginia for every family.”

“I’m excited to announce that Dr. Moon is joining our administration,” said Spanberger, adding, “Virginia deserves leaders who will make sure our work to grow our Commonwealth’s economy keeps the needs of all Virginians in mind.”

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Virginia Democratic Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger celebrates as she takes the stage during her election night rally at the Greater Richmond Convention Center on Nov. 04, 2025. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

“When every Virginian has the opportunity to reach their full potential, it benefits all of us,” she said.

Moon, whose doctorates are in public administration and policy and self-identifies as a “Black queer woman,” responded to her appointment by saying she is looking “forward to joining the cabinet of Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger as her historic administration works to advance a future in which all Virginians have access to opportunity — to include residents from some of the hardest-to-reach communities throughout the Commonwealth.”

Moon most recently served as the chief impact officer for the Girl Scouts of the USA. Before that, through her private consultant practice Moon & Associates, she worked as the “chief brand strategist” for Crockett, a radical far-left Democrat who is currently running for the U.S. Senate in Texas.

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Earlier this year, Moon appeared on a 40-minute podcast episode, where she defended the importance of DEI and delivered a direct message to critics, saying, “This work has not stopped. You can defund and dismantle all you want, but the work continues.”

“I’m excited. I feel like DEI is just getting started,” Moon continued. “I know that sounds so insane to some people because some people think our discipline is crumbling, and I don’t see it like that. I feel like we’re onto something here.”

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Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, arrives on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025.  (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Moon also served as executive-in-residence with two-time failed Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams’ American Pride Rises Network, a DEI advocacy network.

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Before that, she was the chief diversity officer of the U.S. House of Representatives during the 117th & 118th Congresses under Speakers Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and Mike Johnson, R-La.

Spanberger won a decisive electoral victory this November, defeating Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears by a margin of over 10 percentage points.

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Then Republican Virginia gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears speaks at a CPAC Latino Rally for Virginia on October 25, 2025 in Sterling, Virginia.  (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Considered a purple state, Spanberger’s victory returns the Virginia governor’s mansion to the Democrats after being held by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

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Fox News Digital reached out to Spanberger, Moon, Crockett, Abrams and the Girl Scouts of the USA for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

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NASCAR star Denny Hamlin gives health update on mom after she was injured in deadly house fire

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NASCAR star Denny Hamlin gives health update on mom after she was injured in deadly house fire

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NASCAR star Denny Hamlin shared an update on his mother’s condition after she was moved to a burn unit following a house fire in North Carolina that left his father dead earlier this week.

Hamlin thanked those who reached out to him and shared their condolences. Dennis Hamlin died from injuries suffered in the blaze that occurred in Stanley.

Denny Hamlin looks on prior to a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025, in Concord, North Carolina. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley, File)

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“Thank you to everyone who has reached out with condolences on my father’s passing,” he wrote on X. “My mother continues to improve, and our family truly appreciates the outpouring of support and the respect for our privacy during this time.”

Officials said Mary Lou Hamlin was transferred to a burn specialist in Winston-Salem to treat her injuries.

Officials said the cause of the fire was still under investigation.

The fire broke out at a home in Stanley around 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, which drew emergency responses from Gaston and Lincoln Counties, according to Queen City News.

NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin during practice for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 12, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)

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Both Dennis and Mary Lou Hamlin were out of the house as emergency personnel rushed to the scene.

“We are thankful for the multiple agency response and ask that the public be in prayer for the affected family and our first responders in fire, GEMs and police,” the Lucia-Bend Fire Department said in a statement to the outlet.

Dennis Hamlin’s death was announced later Monday.

NASCAR released a statement on Tuesday to honor the NASCAR driver’s father.

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“NASCAR extends its deepest condolences to Denny Hamlin and the entire Hamlin family,” the organization said.

Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 Progressive Toyota, exits his car  after the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 2, 2025, in Avondale, Arizona. (James Gilbert/Getty Images)

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“Dennis Hamlin instilled a love of racing in his son, and sacrificed greatly to develop Denny into a world-class talent in the sport. We also continue to offer our thoughts and prayers to Denny’s mother, Mary Lou, and hope for her full recovery.”

Fox News’ Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.

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