Republican Matt Van Epps defeats ‘AOC of Tennessee’ in close congressional special election
Republican Matt Van Epps edged out Democrat Aftyn Behn in a tight special election for Tennessee’s 7th‑District House seat. The race had been called on Tuesday night after 85 % of the votes were tallied, with Van Epps holding a roughly 6‑point lead. The Associated Press declared the seat a win for the Republican at 9:37 p.m.
Behn had sparked hope among Democrats when recent polls placed her close to Van Epps, suggesting the possibility of an upset in one of the state’s staunchly conservative districts. Van Epps, a former Army helicopter pilot and a typical Trump‑backed candidate, ultimately maintained the advantage throughout the count.
On Truth Social, President Trump posted, “Congratulations to Matt Van Epps on his BIG Congressional WIN in the Great State of Tennessee,” and followed up with, “The Radical Left Democrats threw everything at him, including Millions of Dollars.” He then added, “Another great night for the Republican Party!!! President DJT.” Trump also warned, “The Democrats are spending a fortune, and we don’t want people that want to raise your taxes,” noting that Behn had expressed disdain for Christianity and country music and calling her a target.
The vacancy was left when former Representative Mark Green retired earlier this year, and it became an even more pressing target for Republicans after the decision of Marjorie Taylor Greene (R‑GA) to exit Congress at the start of the year. With a razor‑thin majority in the House, Speaker Mike Johnson (R‑LA) emphasized that “every seat matters more than ever.” He cautioned that if Van Epps had lost, the GOP might face a zero‑vote margin on key legislation next spring. Johnson and Trump both held tele‑rallies to urge voters to head to the polls, with Trump framing the contest as a test of the party’s strength.
A recent Emerson College poll had shown Van Epps ahead by only 2 points (48‑46 %). Meanwhile, the House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D‑NY) criticized Republicans for struggling to defend a seat that Trump had won by 22 points, arguing that Americans were “disgusted with these GOP extremists” and ready to “throw them all out of office.”
Behn, who was labeled by Trump as the “AOC of Tennessee,” faced a barrage of criticism over past remarks about country music and faith. Trump questioned, “How the hell can you elect a person like that?” and highlighted her opposition to what he described as traditional American values.
On the eve of the special election, Van Epps promised that with Trump’s backing he would “win this race and keep this seat red.” The former West Point graduate spoke about his nine combat missions and pledged to collaborate with Trump to lower living costs, cut health‑care expenses, and create well‑paid jobs. He added, “We will deport every single criminal illegal, keep men out of women’s sports … stand with our veterans and we’ll make sure every hard working Tennessean can thrive.”
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