The most high-profile special election held yesterday was in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District, and it was won by Republican Matt Van Epps, who defeated Democrat Aftyn Behn for the U.S. House seat vacated by former Rep. Mark Green.
Key details
- The race was for a U.S. House seat in Middle Tennessee, a heavily Republican district previously represented by Mark Green, who resigned earlier this year.
- Van Epps’ victory allows Republicans to maintain and slightly bolster their narrow majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Result context
- Matt Van Epps won by a single-digit margin (roughly 54% to 45%), noticeably smaller than prior Republican blowouts in the district, which analysts view as a warning sign for the GOP going into the 2026 midterms.
- National party leaders from both sides invested significant money and attention in the race, treating it as an early test of voter mood under President Donald Trump’s new term.
