Consultant-elect Republican Matt Van Epps delivers his victory speech on December 2, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. Tennessee’s seventh district elected Republican Matt Van Epps in a distinct election to fill a Area of Representatives seat that garnered nationwide consideration and tens of millions in spending.
Brett Carlsen/Getty Pictures
disguise caption
toggle caption
Brett Carlsen/Getty Pictures
Republicans will cling directly to a Area seat in Tennessee after a distinct election Tuesday that noticed tens of millions of bucks in outdoor spending and nationwide consideration.
Matt Van Epps gained the open U.S. Area seat, in keeping with a race name via the Related Press.
Van Epps had a single-digit lead over Democratic State Rep. Aftyn Behn, with greater than 90 % of the vote counted thus far, in a district that gave President Trump kind of 60% of the vote final November. Former Rep. Mark Inexperienced, who resigned in July, gained via a identical margin.
Van Epps’ victory approach Republicans will develop to a 220-213 merit over Democrats till Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s deliberate resignation on Jan. 5, 2026.
“Operating from Trump is the way you lose. Operating with Trump is the way you win,” Van Epps stated in a remark Tuesday evening. “Our victory was once powered via a motion of Tennesseans which are in a position for alternate. We’re thankful to the President for his unwavering strengthen that charted this motion and catapulted us to victory. President Trump was once all-in with us. That made the adaptation. In Congress, I will be all-in with him.”
Trump posted a congratulatory message on his Fact Social web page previous within the night.
“Congratulations to Matt Van Epps on his BIG Congressional WIN within the Nice State of Tennessee,” Trump said on Fact Social. “The Radical Left Democrats threw the whole thing at him, together with Hundreds of thousands of Greenbacks. Any other nice evening for the Republican Birthday celebration!!!”
However the closer-than-expected contest that still triggered heavy funding in cash and manpower from Republicans has Democrats pointing out their very own type of victory heading into the 2026 midterm cycle.
Democratic Nationwide Committee Chairman Ken Martin stated in a remark that Behn “blew away expectancies” and touted the celebration’s string of overperformances in 2025 after dropping the White Area and Senate final 12 months.
“What came about this night in Tennessee makes it transparent: Democrats are on offense and Republicans are at the ropes,” Martin stated. “Aftyn Behn’s overperformance on this Trump +22 district is historical and a flashing serious warning call for Republicans heading into the midterms.”
In just about 60 state legislative and Congressional particular elections, Democrats have progressed on their 2024 margins via a mean of 13% and are coming off a string of high-profile victories in races up and down the poll final month.
In Tennessee, Behn incomes kind of 45% of the vote is the same 13% shift in margins from how the district voted final November.
In ultimate stretch, outdoor cash floods race
In step with the most recent Federal Election Fee information, outdoor teams spent greater than $6.5 million at the race, together with greater than $1.6 million from the pro-Trump MAGA Inc. tremendous PAC. Two-thirds of the full tremendous PAC spending got here within the final two weeks of the race as early vote casting picked up in earnest.
Scant public polling of a in most cases lower-turnout particular election coupled with a much less dependable sense of who will make up the voters has additionally added force on each events to squeeze out each and every vote in what was once regarded as a in all probability tight race.
An Emerson School ballot launched final week discovered Van Epps somewhat forward of Behn however throughout the margin of error amongst electorate surveyed. Surveys launched in October from Democratic-aligned companies confirmed Van Epps with an 8-point merit, kind of consistent with the common Democratic particular election overperformance this 12 months.
Campaigns focal point on value of residing
The remaining dash of the race noticed a slew of surrogates make marketing campaign stops and digital appearances to strengthen the applicants. Former Vice President Kamala Harris and Martin the DNC chairman attended canvassing occasions for Behn final month, whilst former Vice President Al Gore and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez headlined a Zoom rally Monday night.
Area Speaker Mike Johnson held a get-out-the-vote rally Monday morning for Van Epps that featured Trump calling on speakerphone to proclaim that the “complete global is looking at Tennessee at this time.”
Each events made affordability a best factor within the race, particularly at the airlines. Van Epps embraced Trump’s endorsement and in addition centered his remaining message at the economic system.
In a single advert, Van Epps decried “occupation politicians” and promised to “deliver down costs, create excellent paying jobs, and decrease well being care prices for running households.”
Behn’s remaining advert promised that she would “shake up Washington” via “making well being care extra inexpensive, bringing down the price of residing, and give protection to employees and small companies from job-killing price lists.”
Throughout a Monday night phone rally for Van Epps, Trump brushed aside affordability as one thing Democrats discussed to distract from what he stated are his management’s a large number of accomplishments.
“They prefer to discuss affordability,” Trump stated within the Monday night tele-rally for Van Epps. “To them it is only a con activity, it is only a phrase.”
