Matt Van Epps Scores Big Tennessee Victory – Here’s the Upside

Journey Tribune – Republican Matt Van Epps has secured a closely watched special election in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District, holding off Democrat Aftyn Behn after an unexpectedly competitive and expensive race. NBC News projects that Van Epps’ victory preserves Republican control of a seat that has long been considered safe territory for the party.

The contest was triggered earlier this year when Rep. Mark Green, a Republican and former House Homeland Security Committee chair, resigned his post. Although former President Donald Trump carried the district by more than 20 points in 2024, both national parties viewed the vacancy as a must-win fight, pouring millions into a race that ultimately tested the GOP’s strength in a shifting political climate.

A Deep-Red District That Became a Battleground

The 7th District — stretching across suburban Nashville and several rural counties — is one of the most reliably conservative districts in the state. Even so, Democrats saw an opening this fall as Trump’s national political standing slipped, and they made surprising gains in multiple states, including New Jersey and Virginia.

Behn, a state representative from Nashville, attempted to capitalize on that momentum. Her campaign emphasized economic issues, accountability in government, and concerns about extremism. Early voting favored her, according to county-level returns.

But Van Epps, an Army veteran and former state official, ultimately regained the advantage by dominating Election Day turnout. With roughly one-sixth of the ballots still uncounted — coming largely from Republican-leaning areas — Van Epps held a districtwide lead of about five points.

Turnout Becomes the Decisive Factor

Both parties treated the off-cycle election as unusually unpredictable. Voter participation in special elections often drops, and national figures from both sides descended on the district to boost enthusiasm.

Van Epps benefited from a full-court press by Republican leaders and conservative groups. Trump held two telerallies on his behalf and posted multiple messages urging GOP voters to show up. House Speaker Mike Johnson joined Van Epps at a rally in Franklin the day before the election, telling Fox News that Republicans were treating “every vote as essential” because special elections can produce surprising results.

“A special election is an odd thing — anything can happen,” Johnson said, noting that turnout tends to lag when elections do not fall on the standard November schedule.

Democrats attempted to match the GOP’s visibility. Vice President Kamala Harris and Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin campaigned with Behn, framing the race as a chance to show growing national dissatisfaction with Republican leadership.

Millions Spent on Advertising Blitz

The campaign quickly escalated into a costly slugfest. According to data from AdImpact, Republican groups spent more than $3.5 million promoting Van Epps and attacking Behn. MAGA Inc., Trump’s primary-aligned super PAC, invested more than $1.7 million on its own — most of it in the final weeks of the race.

Much of the GOP’s advertising sought to define Behn as outside the mainstream. Conservative media outlets and super PAC ads repeatedly highlighted older video clips in which Behn jokingly referred to herself as “a very radical person” and expressed frustration with certain Nashville politics. Trump also personally amplified attacks on social media.

Democrats responded with their own barrage of ads. The main House Democratic super PAC spent more than $800,000 supporting Behn, and her campaign put more than $1 million into messaging. Their attacks focused on Van Epps’ past comments opposing legislation to release files related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation — a bill that Trump ultimately signed into law on Nov. 21 after reversing his position.

Van Epps, for his part, stuck closely to themes that resonate with the district’s conservative base. He repeatedly emphasized “security, opportunity, and prosperity,” pointing to border policy as a core priority and praising former Rep. Green’s work on immigration issues during the Trump administration. He also highlighted rising consumer costs, accusing Washington of “reckless spending” and arguing that economic pressures were “out of control.”

What Comes Next for Van Epps

Van Epps, a colonel in the Tennessee Army National Guard, has said he intends to maintain his military commission while serving in Congress. In an interview earlier this fall, he expressed interest in joining the House Armed Services Committee, citing his background in defense and national security.

Though Republicans managed to hold the district, Tuesday’s results suggested a narrowing gap compared to recent years — a sign Democrats will likely cite as evidence of continuing political shifts even in deep-red regions.

For now, however, the GOP retains control of the 7th District, and Van Epps will head to Washington pledging to carry forward the conservative priorities that have defined the seat for more than a decade.