NASHVILLE (AP) — For weeks, a Tennessee special election was flying under the radar in a heavily Republican congressional district. But now funding from President Donald Trump's allies and an appearance by former Vice President Kamala Harris have turned the Dec. 2 contest into a marquee political battle with potential consequences for next year's midterms.

The race is the first for federal office since the Nov. 4 elections, when Democrats cruised to victories that were framed as a referendum on Trump. Now Republicans want to change the storyline, sinking money into the campaign and inviting Trump to visit the state after holding a virtual rally last week.

Failing to run up the score — or worse, losing the seat — would be a sign of weakness, emboldening Democrats as they try to take back

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