Matt Van Epps wins Tennessee’s 7th district special election, defeating Aftyn Behn in a closely watched battle for GOP strength

Republican Matt Van Epps won Tuesday’s(November 2) special election in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District, defeating Democrat Aftyn Behn in a contest closely monitored for signals about GOP strength heading into next year’s congressional midterms. The seat was vacated earlier this year by Republican Rep. Mark Green.

A former Army helicopter pilot and West Point graduate, Van Epps navigated a crowded Republican primary, defeating nine other contenders, to secure his party’s nomination. His campaign benefited from endorsements by Trump, outgoing Rep. Mark Green, and Republican Gov. Bill Lee. Van Epps most recently served as head of Tennessee’s Department of General Services under Lee, a position that elevated his profile within state Republican circles.

The Associated Press projected the result at 9:47 pm EST, reporting Van Epps ahead with a 52 percent to 46 percent margin.


“This race was bigger than just one campaign,” Van Epps said in a statement. “It represented a defining moment for Tennessee and for the direction of the country.”

“Running from Trump is how you lose. Running with Trump is how you win,” Van Epps said. “Our victory was powered by a movement of Tennesseans that are ready for change.

The 7th District stretches across all or parts of 14 counties, including population-heavy regions such as Davidson (the Nashville core), Montgomery (Clarksville), and Williamson (fast-growing Nashville suburbs). These counties delivered the largest share of votes, and revealed the deep political contrast shaping the contest.

President Donald Trump reacted

“Congratulations to Matt Van Epps on his BIG Congressional WIN in the Great State of Tennessee,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “The Radical Left Democrats threw everything at him, including Millions of Dollars.

Van Epps ultimately carried 12 of the 14 counties, fueled by overwhelming margins in rural conservative strongholds:

Decatur County: 79.3 percent-19.6 percent

Perry County: 76.7 percent- 21.9 percent

Wayne County: 84.6 percent-14.6 percent

These margins offset Behn’s gains in more urbanized areas and secured Van Epps a comfortable district wide lead.