Matt Van Epps triumphs in Tennessee House race over Democratic contender

In a nail-biter of a special election, Republican Matt Van Epps clinched victory for Tennessee’s 7th District U.S. House seat, sending a clear message to progressive hopefuls.

On December 2, 2025, Van Epps edged out Democrat Aftyn Behn by 8.9 percentage points with nearly all votes counted, securing a vital win for the GOP in a race that drew national eyes due to the party’s slim 220-213 House majority, as New York Post reports.

This seat, previously held by Rep. Mark Green who stepped down earlier in 2025 for a private-sector role, became a battleground for both parties eager to tip the balance of power.

Van Epps Rides Trump Endorsement Wave

Van Epps, a former Army helicopter pilot, had the wind of former President Donald Trump’s endorsement beneath his wings, not to mention a hefty $1.7 million boost from the Trump-aligned Make America Great Again Inc. for digital ads and more.

Meanwhile, Behn’s campaign wasn’t short on firepower, with $1 million from the Democrat-aligned House Majority PAC and high-profile support from figures like former Vice President Kamala Harris, who knocked on doors in Nashville.

Even former Vice President Al Gore and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez jumped in with a virtual rally for Behn the night before the election, though it wasn’t enough to turn the tide.

Close Race Defies Expectations in Tennessee

Late polling from Emerson College showed Van Epps leading Behn by a razor-thin 48% to 46%, a far cry from the usual Republican dominance in this central Tennessee district.

Behn managed to dominate in deep-blue Davidson County, which includes Nashville, winning by more than three-to-one, but Van Epps countered with strong backing from the region’s more conservative counties.

Republican strategist Chip Saltsman remarked on the unusual competitiveness, saying, “In Tennessee, it’s been a long time since we thought about beating Democrats,” highlighting how the GOP had to stay sharp in a typically safe area (Saltsman).

Trump and Johnson Rally the Base

With the stakes sky-high, Trump didn’t hold back, hosting two tele-rallies on December 1, 2025, to drum up support for Van Epps, while branding Behn the “AOC of Tennessee” over her past remarks on law enforcement and religion.

House Speaker Mike Johnson also hit the campaign trail in Tennessee the day before the election, stressing, “Every seat matters more than ever,” given the GOP’s wafer-thin majority in Congress (Johnson).

Trump’s victory shout-out was equally punchy: “Congratulations to Matt Van Epps on his BIG Congressional WIN in the Great State of Tennessee,” a reminder that even in tight races, the GOP base can still pack a punch (Trump).

Lessons for Both Parties Ahead

Behn’s past comments, including a 2020 podcast where she criticized Nashville culture and country music, didn’t help her cause, especially when Trump seized on them to question her fit for Tennessee voters.

While Behn fell short, her strong showing in a Republican-leaning district signals that Democrats might be finding cracks in the GOP’s armor, especially after recent off-year gains in other states.

As Van Epps prepares to be sworn into the House soon, maintaining the GOP’s narrow majority until early 2026, this race proves that no seat is truly safe—and that’s a wake-up call for both sides of the aisle.