Rep. Mark Green officially stepped down from Congress on Sunday, narrowing the House Republican majority to 219 seats compared to Democrats’ 212. His resignation leaves four vacancies in the 435-member chamber, with three others resulting from the recent deaths of Democratic Reps. Sylvester Turner (TX), Raul Grijalva (AZ), and Gerry Connolly (VA).
Green, a Republican from Tennessee who chaired the House Homeland Security Committee, had announced last month that he would leave Capitol Hill following passage of President Trump’s sweeping “One Big, Beautiful Bill.” That bill was passed by the House before its July 4 deadline.
“It is with a heavy heart that I announce my retirement from Congress,” Green said in a statement first obtained by Fox News Digital. “I’ve been presented with an exciting opportunity in the private sector and have decided it’s the right time to move on.”
Green, an Army veteran who has represented Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District since 2019, called his time in office “the honor of a lifetime.”
“They asked me to deliver on conservative values, and I did my level best,” Green said. “From passing historic tax cuts to securing the border with President Trump and defending innocent life, I am proud of what we accomplished.”
Although he had planned to retire after the previous Congress, Green said he stayed on to help guide Trump’s border security priorities through the House. He played a key role in the impeachment of former Biden DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and helped craft immigration provisions in the latest reconciliation package.
With his departure now official, a special election will be held to fill his seat—a district Trump carried by more than 20 points in 2024, making it likely to remain in GOP hands.
Green has endorsed Army veteran and former Tennessee Department of General Services Commissioner Matt Van Epps to succeed him. The two served together in the same Army special operations unit.
“Matt Van Epps has my complete and total endorsement,” Green said. “He’s a true warrior and a brother in service.”
Van Epps, who is running in the upcoming special election, said he’s honored by Green’s support and ready to serve.
“Congressman Green has left big shoes to fill, but I’m ready to continue his work on behalf of Tennesseans,” Van Epps told Fox News.
Other Republican candidates eyeing the seat include Montgomery County Commissioner Jason Knight, Army veteran Jonathan Thorp, Mason Foley of Main Street Health, and state Reps. Jay Reedy, Lee Reeves, and Jody Barrett.
