Republicans have clinched a tighter-than-expected win in Tennessee’s special congressional election, according to US media projections. The race was widely seen as a signal of whether Democrats could build momentum heading into next year’s national elections.
With all counties reporting, Republican Matt Van Epps is projected to defeat Democrat Aftyn Behn by roughly nine percentage points. While this keeps the GOP’s slim majority in the House of Representatives intact, the reduced margin has sparked concern within the party. Last year, Republicans won the same district by more than 22 points.
Senator Ted Cruz acknowledged the unexpectedly close result, calling it “dangerous” for Republicans.
This special election drew national attention and heavy spending from both parties. Even though Tennessee’s 7th District is solidly Republican—and hasn’t elected a Democrat in over four decades—analysts framed the race as a test of President Donald Trump’s political strength during his second term. A loss here would have been a major setback.
The seat became vacant when Republican Congressman Mark Green stepped down in July to enter the private sector.
Both sides poured millions into the campaign, with high-profile figures—including former Vice Presidents Kamala Harris and Al Gore for the Democrats, and House Speaker Mike Johnson for Republicans—visiting the state to energize voters. Trump held a virtual rally in support of Van Epps, who publicly embraced the former president’s agenda.
Celebrating his win, Van Epps said the result proved that “running from Trump is how you lose, running with Trump is how you win,” arguing that candidates who distance themselves from the president risk their political future.
Trump congratulated Van Epps on social media, claiming Democrats “threw everything at him, including millions of dollars.” Speaker Johnson also expressed his support, saying he looks forward to working with Van Epps to advance the GOP’s “America First” goals, including lower costs and stronger border security.
