Republicans Hold Tennessee Seat Despite Democratic Surge

Published: 03 December 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

Republicans have retained a closely-watched congressional seat in Tennessee, with Matt Van Epps projected to defeat Democrat Aftyn Behn by roughly nine percentage points. The special election in the state’s 7th Congressional District was seen as a test of whether Democrats can mount a national comeback ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Van Epps’s victory, while decisive, came with a narrower margin than former President Trump achieved in the district during the 2024 election. The seat stretches from the Alabama border to Kentucky and includes parts of Nashville, a district that has not elected a Democrat in over 40 years.

The election followed the resignation of Republican Congressman Mark Green in July, who left to work in the private sector. Both parties invested heavily in the campaign, with top officials visiting for rallies, including former Democratic Vice Presidents Kamala Harris and Al Gore, and Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson. Trump also endorsed Van Epps via a virtual rally.

Van Epps, a military veteran with nine tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, aligned his campaign closely with Trump, claiming his victory demonstrated that “running with Trump is how you win.” Behn, who focused on affordability and local quality-of-life issues, conceded but described the result as “the beginning of something powerful,” praising her campaign’s unexpectedly strong showing.

Political analysts noted that Republicans had to spend significant resources to maintain the seat, signaling potential challenges ahead in the 2026 midterms. While Tennessee remains solidly Trump territory—he won over 64% of the vote last year—the closer-than-expected result suggests Democrats may be able to gain traction in future elections.