In a special election that drew national attention and millions in campaign spending, Republican Matt Van Epps clinched a closely watched victory over Democrat Aftyn Behn in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District on December 2, 2025. The outcome, while not a shock in this historically Republican stronghold, sent ripples through both parties and signaled shifting political winds as the nation heads toward the pivotal 2026 midterm elections.
With more than 95% of votes counted, Van Epps secured 53.9% of the vote to Behn’s 45.1%, according to NBC News and The New York Times. The eight-point margin was notably slimmer than previous Republican victories in the district, where Democrats had lost by more than 20 points in recent cycles. This narrowing gap became a central talking point for both parties, with Democrats touting a surge in support and Republicans celebrating a hard-fought hold on a deep-red seat.
“Tonight, you sent a clear message loud and clear,” Van Epps declared to supporters at Nashville’s Millennium Maxwell House Hotel. “The people of Middle Tennessee stand proudly behind President Donald Trump.” He went on to thank Trump directly for his support, stating, “Running away from Trump is how you lose, running with Trump is how you win.” Van Epps, a West Point graduate, Army combat veteran, and former state official, campaigned as an unabashed “MAGA warrior,” promising to support Trump’s agenda in Congress and to focus on lowering the cost of living for constituents. Trump, in turn, praised Van Epps’s win on Truth Social, writing, “The Radical Left Democrats threw everything at him, including Millions of Dollars. Another great night for the Republican Party!!!”
The race was triggered by the July resignation of Republican Rep. Mark Green, and quickly morphed into a national battleground. Both parties poured resources into the contest, with super PACs and outside groups spending millions. MAGA Inc., a super PAC aligned with Trump, contributed $1 million to boost Van Epps, while the left-leaning House Majority PAC matched that sum for Behn. Prominent political figures stumped for both candidates: Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson for Van Epps; former Vice President Al Gore, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Pramila Jayapal for Behn.
Behn, who won a four-way Democratic primary against better-funded opponents, ran on a platform focused on “feeding kids, fixing roads, and funding hospitals.” She highlighted her legislative efforts to end Tennessee’s 4% grocery tax and to legalize marijuana, using the projected tax revenue to repair highways. Addressing supporters after the results, Behn said, “The Republicans made these districts to be uncompetitive and we did not back down. We have inspired an entire country.” She also urged Van Epps not to let subsidies supporting the Affordable Care Act lapse, underlining the stakes for working-class Tennesseans.
The 7th District, which encompasses parts of Nashville and large rural swaths of Middle Tennessee, has long been a Republican bastion. Trump carried it by 22 points in the 2024 presidential election. Redistricting in 2022, led by the Republican-controlled state legislature, further split Nashville into three districts, diluting the voting power of Democrats. This move drew criticism from outgoing Rep. Mark Green, who called the new maps “inherently unfair” for drawing portions of Democratic-leaning Davidson County into the 7th District. Despite these structural challenges, Behn managed to close the gap, with Emerson College polling in the days before the election showing her trailing Van Epps by just two points, 48% to 46%.
The race’s competitiveness was underscored by shifts in key counties. In Decatur and Perry counties, Van Epps led by large margins, but Democrats made gains compared to Trump’s 2024 performance, with a 10- to 15-point swing in their favor. In Montgomery County, home to Clarksville and the U.S. Army’s Fort Campbell, early voting saw Behn ahead by three points—a dramatic 21-point swing from the previous year. However, as is often the case in Tennessee, Republicans surged on Election Day, cementing Van Epps’s victory.
Nationally, the election was viewed as a referendum on Trump’s second administration and a bellwether for the upcoming midterms. Democrats had hoped to capitalize on Trump’s declining approval ratings—a recent Gallup poll showed just 36% of voters approved of his performance, with 60% disapproving—and on their own string of victories in November’s off-year elections in states like New Jersey and Virginia. Progressive leaders like Ocasio-Cortez called the Tennessee race “within striking distance: what we call the margin of effort,” emphasizing the potential for upsets even in deep-red districts.
For Republicans, the win was a much-needed boost after recent setbacks. House Speaker Mike Johnson cautioned supporters not to take the district for granted, telling reporters, “Special elections are strange animals, and anything can happen. And when you’re in a deep-red district, sometimes people assume that the Republican, the conservative, will win. You cannot assume that, because anything can happen.”
The district itself has a storied history as a launching pad for political careers. Don Sundquist, who represented the 7th from 1983 to 1997, went on to become Tennessee’s governor, while Marsha Blackburn, who held the seat from 2003 to 2018, is now a U.S. Senator and gubernatorial contender. Yet, Democrats last won the district in 1980, before redistricting shifted its political makeup.
The 2025 special election’s outcome reflected both the enduring strength of Republican infrastructure in Tennessee and the growing engagement of Democratic voters, especially in the face of unfavorable maps and national headwinds. As the dust settles, both parties are left to ponder what lessons to draw from the contest. For Van Epps and Republicans, the result offers reassurance—but also a warning that even the safest seats can become competitive. For Democrats, the near-miss serves as a rallying cry heading into 2026, proof that with enough effort and investment, even the deepest red can start to fade.
With the spotlight now shifting to the midterms, Tennessee’s 7th District stands as a microcosm of the broader political battles ahead—where turnout, messaging, and the national mood could make all the difference in races once thought unassailable.
