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Republican Matt Van Epps won the special election for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District. He defeated Democrat Aftyn Behn in a closely watched race that drew heavy national attention from both parties.
The Associated Press called the race at 9:45 p.m. Eastern time. Van Epps held a roughly nine-point lead when the race was declared.
He received about 53 percent of the vote compared to Behn’s 45 percent. This secures a seat previously held by former Rep. Mark Green, who retired earlier this year to enter the private sector.
The district spans 14 counties across Middle Tennessee and includes parts of Nashville. It has long been a Republican stronghold. President Donald Trump won the district by more than 20 points in 2024.
“Tonight, you sent a message loud and clear: The people of middle Tennessee stand with President Donald J. Trump,” Van Epps told supporters during his victory speech at Nashville’s Millennium Hotel Maxwell House. “I am humbled beyond belief to stand before you as your next representative. I will never forget the trust placed in me.”
Van Epps is an Army helicopter pilot and former state commissioner. He is originally from Ohio. He thanked his wife, his team, and his supporters for helping him win the race.
He said Behn called him shortly after the race was called to concede. Behn later posted a message to her supporters on X.
She wrote that her grassroots campaign “proved to a nation that states like Tennessee are still worth fighting for.” She also said her movement would continue to grow.
The win helps Republicans maintain their narrow House majority of 219–213. Without Van Epps, the margin would have tightened even further ahead of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s planned resignation in early January.
Speaker Mike Johnson, the RNC, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, and other national GOP figures heavily invested in the race. They traveled to Tennessee and backed a large turnout operation in the final days.
Trump also intervened. He called into a Monday rally and said he attempted to fly to the district to campaign for Van Epps. The Secret Service told him there was not enough time to put a security plan in place.
Van Epps fully embraced Trump’s endorsement throughout the campaign. He told supporters that “running from Trump is how you lose, and running with Trump is how you win.”
Republican-aligned groups poured more than $2.5 million into the contest. That included a $1 million boost from MAGA Inc. The Democratic side spent heavily as well. House Majority PAC invested $1 million in digital and TV ads for Behn.
Polling heading into election day was tight. An Emerson College/The Hill survey showed Van Epps ahead by only two points.
Democrats argued the close margin signals trouble for Republicans heading into 2026. They pointed out that Mark Green won the district with nearly 60 percent of the vote.
House Majority PAC said the race was a “five-alarm fire” for the GOP. They claimed Republicans had to “pull out all the stops” to hold a seat Trump carried easily two years ago.
Republicans said the victory shows their coalition remains strong in deep-red territory. They made this claim even after suffering losses in Virginia and New Jersey in November.
More than 43,000 early ballots were cast before election day. Van Epps campaigned on advancing Trump’s agenda. He also pushed promises to strengthen the economy, secure the border, bring manufacturing back to the U.S., protect farmers, and keep transgender athletes out of women’s sports.
His victory preserves the GOP’s narrow path to passing legislation in the House. It gives Speaker Johnson a needed cushion as the chamber approaches the Jan. 31 funding deadline.