Republican Matt Van Epps Holds Tennessee Seat in Tight Special Election
In a closely watched special election in Tennessee, Republican Matt Van Epps has emerged victorious, securing the state’s 7th Congressional District and preventing what would have been a major upset for his party. The seat, previously held by former Republican Rep. Mark Green, had been vacated in July when Green resigned to take a private-sector position. With almost all votes counted, Van Epps was projected to win by about nine percentage points over Democrat Aftyn Behn, a narrower margin than the GOP’s previous victories in the district.
The election drew national attention as a potential indicator of how Democrats might perform in the upcoming midterms. The race was viewed as a test of whether the Democratic Party could make inroads in a district that President Donald Trump won by 22 points just over a year ago. While Van Epps ultimately retained the seat for the Republicans, the relatively close margin and high voter turnout highlighted growing enthusiasm among Democrats, especially around cost-of-living and affordability issues.
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Van Epps, a military veteran who served nine tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, had aligned closely with Trump throughout the campaign. He also benefited from endorsements by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and House Speaker Mike Johnson, and even received a tele-rally boost from Trump in the final stretch. In his victory speech, Van Epps thanked Trump for his support and emphasized that running in alignment with Trump’s policies was key to his win. He also pledged to focus on the economic concerns of Tennessee families, promising to fight for lower prices and bigger paychecks.
On the other side, Behn, a state representative first elected in 2023, ran a campaign centered on affordability and local quality-of-life issues. Despite her loss, she framed the result as a sign of momentum for Democrats, pointing to high turnout and a stronger performance compared to previous elections in the district. She highlighted that while the seat remained Republican, the competitive showing demonstrated that Democrats could challenge GOP dominance in historically red areas.
Turnout in this special election was remarkable, rivaling midterm levels and exceeding half of the 2024 presidential election’s participation in the district, despite being held just after Thanksgiving. Analysts suggested that this high engagement helped Democrats perform better than expected, even if they fell short of victory. Democratic operatives described the close results as a warning sign for Republicans heading into next year’s elections, while GOP strategists emphasized that holding the seat was a key win.
With Van Epps’ victory, the Republican majority in the House will grow slightly, although the margin remains tight and is expected to fluctuate with upcoming special elections. The race underscored the political energy on both sides, showing that even in traditionally safe districts, voter enthusiasm and national issues can make elections far more competitive than anticipated.
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