Summary (tl;dr)

Republican Matt Van Epps won the special election for Tennessee's 7th Congressional District on December 2, 2025, defeating Democrat Aftyn Behn and maintaining the GOP's hold on the seat, though with a narrower margin than anticipated.

Essential Background

The special election was triggered by the resignation of Republican Representative Mark Green from his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in July 2025, after he took a private sector job. The 7th Congressional District of Tennessee is considered a reliably Republican area, with former President Donald Trump winning the district by a significant margin in both 2020 and 2024. Redistricting in 2022 by Republican state lawmakers incorporated parts of liberal-leaning Nashville into the district, aiming to prevent it from electing another Democrat to Congress.

The Full Story

Republican Matt Van Epps, a military veteran and former state general services commissioner, secured victory in the closely watched Tennessee 7th Congressional District special election on December 2, 2025. He defeated Democratic state Representative Aftyn Behn, who focused her campaign on economic concerns. While Van Epps's win preserved the Republican majority in the House, his nearly nine-point margin of victory was significantly smaller than the historical Republican performance in the district, where former President Trump won by 22 points in 2024. The election drew national attention and substantial spending from both parties, with former President Trump actively campaigning for Van Epps.

Why It Matters

This special election was widely seen as a barometer for national political sentiment leading into the 2026 midterm elections. Despite the Republican win in a traditionally strong GOP district, the Democratic candidate's stronger-than-expected performance is being interpreted by some as a potential warning sign for Republicans and a boost for Democrats ahead of upcoming elections, particularly given recent Democratic overperformances in other special elections. The outcome also affects the narrow Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Geographic Location

• Tennessee's 7th Congressional District, Tennessee, United States (special election held)
• Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee, United States (Matt Van Epps delivered victory speech; part of the 7th Congressional District; Aftyn Behn represents an East Nashville district in the state house)
• Benton County, Tennessee, United States (part of the 7th Congressional District)
• Cheatham County, Tennessee, United States (part of the 7th Congressional District)
• Decatur County, Tennessee, United States (part of the 7th Congressional District)
• Dickson County, Tennessee, United States (part of the 7th Congressional District)
• Hickman County, Tennessee, United States (part of the 7th Congressional District)
• Houston County, Tennessee, United States (part of the 7th Congressional District)
• Humphreys County, Tennessee, United States (part of the 7th Congressional District)
• Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States (part of the 7th Congressional District)
• Perry County, Tennessee, United States (part of the 7th Congressional District)
• Robertson County, Tennessee, United States (part of the 7th Congressional District)
• Stewart County, Tennessee, United States (part of the 7th Congressional District)
• Wayne County, Tennessee, United States (part of the 7th Congressional District)
• Williamson County, Tennessee, United States (part of the 7th Congressional District; Aftyn Behn won this county in the primary)