Republican Matt Van Epps has captured Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District in a closely watched special election, holding a traditionally conservative seat but by a much smaller margin than recent years — a result Democrats are seizing on as a hopeful sign for next year’s midterms.
Van Epps, a military veteran and former state general services commissioner from Nashville, defeated Democratic state Rep. Aftyn Behn in the contest for the U.S. House seat.
With 99% of ballots reported, Van Epps led by about 9 percentage points. By comparison, the previous Republican incumbent won the district by 21 points last year, and Donald Trump carried it by 22 points in his last presidential run.
Behn, an outspoken progressive, dominated in Davidson County — the bluest part of the district and home to Nashville. Van Epps, however, swept the rest of the 14-county district, winning heavily Republican areas across central Tennessee while closely aligning himself with Trump.
“Politicians who run from the president or abandon the common-sense policies that the American people gave us a resounding mandate on do so at their own peril,” Van Epps told supporters at his victory event. “No matter what the D.C. insiders or liberal media say, this is President Trump’s party. I’m proud to be a part of it and can’t wait to get to work.”
Trump celebrated the win on social media, saying Van Epps prevailed even though “the Radical Left Democrats threw everything at him.”
Democrats say GOP is ‘on the ropes’
At her own election-night gathering, Behn came on stage with high energy, performing Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” in a rhinestoned western suit. Though she fell short, she framed the result as a starting point rather than a defeat.
She reminded supporters that Republicans redrew the district three years ago to make it tougher for Democrats to compete and said “nobody in Washington believed we could get even this close.”
“Tonight isn’t the end. It is the beginning of a next chapter of Tennessee and American politics — one of possibility, one of power and one of progress for the people that we love,” Behn said.
Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin argued that the narrower-than-expected result should worry Republicans heading into the midterm elections, which will decide control of Congress.
“What happened tonight in Tennessee makes it clear: Democrats are on offense and Republicans are on the ropes,” Martin said in a statement.
The special election drew big money
Van Epps enjoyed significant outside support. MAGA Inc., a group aligned with Trump, spent nearly $1.7 million to boost his campaign, according to a memo from the organization. Almost half of that went to digital ads targeting voters watching streaming content. It was the group’s first major expenditure since last year’s presidential race, underscoring the symbolic importance of the contest.
House Speaker Mike Johnson and national Republican chair Joe Gruters traveled to Tennessee on Monday to rally support. Trump phoned into a rally in the state and later hosted a tele-rally for Van Epps, his second such event for the general election.
Chip Saltsman, a GOP strategist and former Tennessee Republican Party chair, said the party initially took time to ramp up its efforts after a heated primary.
“In Tennessee, it’s been a long time since we thought about beating Democrats,” Saltsman said. “It’s been a lot more important to beat Republicans in a primary.”
“This time,” he added, “we had to pay attention.”
Republican leaders had hoped for a blowout that would undercut Democratic claims that even deep-red districts could be competitive as Trump navigates low approval ratings and ongoing economic frustration. Democrats have recently posted strong wins in places like New Jersey and Virginia, adding to GOP anxiety.
Behn also drew national backing. The House Majority PAC spent $1 million on her behalf. Party chair Ken Martin campaigned with her in the district, and former Vice President Kamala Harris joined a canvassing kickoff while in Nashville on a book tour. Former Vice President Al Gore and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez headlined a virtual rally for Behn the night before the election.
Van Epps leans into Trump brand
In 2022, Republican state lawmakers redrew the 7th District — along with two others — in a way that diluted Nashville’s liberal vote, leaving only about one in five district voters inside the city.
The seat opened after Republican Rep. Mark Green retired this summer. The timing of the special election was unusual, with early voting wrapping up the day before Thanksgiving and Election Day held the following Tuesday.
Throughout the race, Van Epps tied himself firmly to Trump. During the November tele-rally, he told the former president, “I will have your back 100%.” He then cruised through a crowded GOP primary in October after winning Trump’s late endorsement.
Behn centered her campaign on aggressive critiques of economic policies she argued favor wealthy individuals and corporations — including Trump’s tariffs and his budget and spending law, both of which Van Epps supports.
Republicans, meanwhile, repeatedly highlighted Behn’s past comments in TV ads, including her description of herself as a “radical” and sharp remarks she made about Nashville and its tourist scene.
Anthony Bordonaro, 37, a Trump supporter who voted for Van Epps on Tuesday, said he wants to see the president’s agenda move forward — but that the attacks on Behn’s Nashville comments also resonated.
“I just didn’t really like what I was hearing about the other candidate not liking Nashville,” he said.
