US EditionRepublican Matt Van Epps Wins Tennessee Special Election
Matt Van Epps won by about 9 points in a district Trump carried by 22 points in 2024, signaling a 13-point Democratic swing and raising concerns for GOP in 2026 midterms.
- On Tuesday, Republican Matt Van Epps won the special election for Tennessee's 7th Congressional District, defeating Aftyn Behn with 53.9 percent to 45.0 percent, a margin of just over 15,000 votes.
- The special election was prompted by the July resignation of Rep. Mark Green, with both parties' national committees treating it as a national contest, mobilizing top figures and resources.
- Republican-Aligned groups spent over $3.5 million on ads, including $1.7 million from MAGA Inc., $473,000 from Club for Growth, and $767,000 from Conservatives for American Excellence Inc., while President Donald Trump held telerallies and House Speaker Mike Johnson campaigned Monday.
- The result moves House Republicans to 220 seats once Van Epps is sworn in, giving House Speaker Mike Johnson a small buffer that may shrink due to upcoming resignations and special elections.
- Democrats cast the close result as momentum heading into 2026, as Aftyn Behn narrowed the usual Republican margin despite President Donald Trump's 2024 margin in the district and turnout in the special election neared midterm levels.
206 Articles
206 Articles
Republicans Emerge Victorious and Anxious after Tennessee Special Election
Republicans held onto a reliably conservative U.S. House district in Tennessee's special election, but only after a late burst of national spending and high-profile campaigning helped them secure a margin less than half of last year’s race.
Don't threaten us with a good time, Mike Johnson
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson faced questions Wednesday over his party’s disastrous underperformance in Tuesday’s special election in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District—one that has members of his party sounding the alarm over Rep.-elect Matt Van Epps’ narrow victory. Given his responses, either his heart wasn’t in it, or he is really, really bad at spinning bad news. Republican candidate Matt Van Epps speaks to supporters at a watch…
Johnson Slammed After Timeline to Swear In Newest GOP Member Revealed
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson is coming under fire after a report revealed he expects to swear in this week the newest Republican elected to Congress, Matt Van Epps, for whom Johnson campaigned. Van Epps won a narrow victory Tuesday night in a deep red Tennessee district. The move comes after Johnson most recently delayed seating Democratic U.S. Rep. Adelita Grijalva of Arizona for 50 days. Johnson offered an array of explanations for why he…
Tennessee CD-7 Victory Best GOP Special House Election Performance In Years As 2026 Midterms Loom
By Robert Romano In a 20-plus percentage point Republican district in 2024, U.S Representative-elect Matt Van Epps won Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District by a mere 9 points, 53.9 percent to 45 percent. It being a special election, turnout is much lower and with a Republican in the White House, the candidate running in the same party, in this case Van Epps, always underperforms. The question with every special election under these circumstanc…
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