President Trump said on Monday that the special election in Tennessee’s 7th district is a “big thing,” explaining that the outcome will reflect on him and the entire GOP. He pointed out that with former Rep. Mark Green’s seat open after his retirement, the race could serve as a gauge for the party’s current standing.
During a tele‑rally for Van Epps, Trump remarked that “They say it’s a sign of how we are doing.” He added that if the margin falls just a little below what he won by in 2024—by defeating former Vice President Kamala Harris by 22 points—“they’ll say, ‘Oh, that’s terrible. I guess Trump’s losing his magic,’” and that he wants Van Epps to outscore him. He urging voters to get out, saying he would never forget any effort.
A recent Emerson College poll shows Van Epps leading Democratic state lawmaker Aftyn Behn by only 2 percentage points (48% to 46%). The stakes are high because a loss could shrink Speaker Mike Johnson’s already narrow Republican majority in the House, especially with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s expected retirement in January and other special elections affecting GOP seats.
Trump described the contest as a “big deal.” He noted that the party currently holds a three‑vote edge over the left, and beating Behn would send a strong, positive signal. The poll also highlighted Van Epps’ slim lead, and Behn held a virtual rally featuring Rep. Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez and former Vice President Al Gore.
In a light moment, Trump offered that if Van Epps didn’t win, he could give the former Army special‑operations pilot a job “flying helicopters around, with me in it.” He nevertheless expressed confidence that the race will work out, calling Van Epps “an outstanding guy.”
Mike Johnson, which he joined on the call with Trump, echoed the importance of the race, stating “It is no secret my majority in Congress is razor‑thin…every seat matters more than ever.” While campaigning with Van Epps on the day, Johnson called Behn a “far left radical” and referenced her get‑out‑the‑vote event with AOC. He warned that a win for Behn would merely become a “rubber stamp for the disastrous agenda of radicals like [Rep. Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez] and the rest of them.”
Ocasio‑Cortez’s virtual rally was joined by Rep. Pramila Jayapal, former head of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and Al Gore, who represented Tennessee in Congress for over 15 years.
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