Republican Matt Van Eps defeated Democrat Aftin Behn in a congressional special election in the western Nashville suburbs that was being closely watched for signs of Republican weakness in next year’s congressional midterms.
The Associated Press called the race at 9:47 EST, with Van Eps leading 52% to 46%.
“This race was bigger than just a campaign,” Van Eps said in a statement. “This represents a defining moment for the direction of Tennessee and the country.”
Van Eps argued that his victory served as a signal that conservative voters remained supportive of Donald Trump’s leadership. Trump campaigned virtually on Van Epps’ behalf in the final days of the race.
“Running Trump makes you lose. Running Trump makes you win,” Van Eps said. “Our victory was driven by the movement of Tennesseans who are ready for change. We are grateful to the President for his unwavering support that fueled this movement and led us to victory. President Trump was completely with us. It made a difference. In Congress, I will be with him completely.”
Tennessee’s 7th congressional district is a generally reliably Republican area. Donald Trump carried the district by 15 points in 2020 and by 22 points in 2024. But special elections can be unpredictable, and polling in recent days has put Behn within a few points of Van Eps.
The six-point margin of victory represents a significant shift in Republican support.
Cook’s Political Report describes the district as “Lean Republican”, falling short of reliably Republican despite Trump’s performance. “Democrats’ inherent advantage in special elections this year will make this race much closer than it should be,” he wrote.
Van Epps and Behn were vying to replace Republican Congressman Mark Green, who resigned in July – after the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – to start a firm to compete with Chinese business interests in Guyana. House Republicans have a 219-213 advantage in the chamber.
Van Epps, a former Army helicopter pilot and West Point graduate, defeated nine other Republican candidates, benefiting from the endorsements of Trump, Greene and Tennessee’s Republican Governor Bill Lee. Van Epps ran the Department of General Services in Tennessee under Lee.
Behn, who has represented an East Nashville district in the Tennessee House through 2023, won a closely contested four-way Democratic primary. A former political organizer and progressive activist, Behn worked in social services and community advocacy.
After Democrats unexpectedly swept elections in Virginia, New Jersey and elsewhere earlier this month, Democratic-aligned groups poured money into Behn’s campaign with the goal of causing an upset.
A national Democratic strategist who works on House races told the Guardian last week that Republicans are spending an unusually large amount of money in the district “in a desperate last-minute effort to avoid Democratic overperformance.”
Dave Wasserman, senior editor and election analyst at Cook Political Report with Amy Walter, told the Guardian last week: “We still expect the Republicans to win, but wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a single-digit race.”
The district, which stretches from Kentucky to Alabama, is largely rural, but includes part of blue-leaning Nashville, as well as the city of Clarksville.
Chris Stein contributed reporting
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