Tennessee 7th Congressional District Special Election Results
NASHVILLE,Tenn.(AP) – Republican Matt Van Epps has won a nationally watched special election in Tennessee for a seat in the U.S.House, maintaining his party’s grip on the district with support from President Donald Trump.
A military veteran and former state general services commissioner from Nashville, Van Epps defeated Democratic state Rep. Aftyn Behn to represent the 7th Congressional District.
READ MORE: 3 reasons to watch Tennessee’s special election
Van Epps benefited from more than $1 million in spending from MAGA Inc. This marked the first time the Trump-supporting super PAC invested in a campaign since the 2024 presidential race, highlighting the election’s significance.
House Speaker Mike Johnson and GOP chair joe Gruters rallied supporters in Tennessee on Monday. President Trump addressed a crowd at a rally in the state by phone and later held a tele-rally for Van Epps, his second of the general election.
Republicans entered Election Day aiming to counter Democratic assertions that even traditionally conservative districts are now competitive, given Trump’s low approval ratings and ongoing economic concerns.
Democrats have recently achieved significant victories in New Jersey,Virginia,and other states,and they hoped a strong performance in Tennessee would further energize the party heading into the midterm elections next November.
Republican state lawmakers redrew the 7th District and two others in 2022 to limit the influence of liberal-voting nashville.