Republican Matt Van Epps, a former Army helicopter pilot, has won the special election for Tennessee’s 7th District, keeping the deep-red seat in party hands. But his relatively modest margin of victory Tuesday will likely fuel Democratic optimism heading into the 2026 midterms.
Van Epps was leading Democratic state Rep. Aftyn Behn 54 percent to 45 percent with 99 percent of votes counted, according to The Associated Press. He will serve the remaining term of Republican former Rep. Mark E. Green, who resigned in July to pursue private sector work.
Van Epps called his election “a defining moment for Tennessee and for the direction of the country,” and credited President Donald Trump’s support for pushing him over the finish line.
