Tennessee is having a special election because a U.S. House seat became vacant when Republican Rep. Mark Green, who represented the 7th Congressional District, resigned in July to pursue work outside of government and in the private sector. Under federal and state law, when a sitting member of the U.S. House leaves office before the end of a term, a special election is required to choose a replacement for the remainder of that term.
This particular special election is for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District, which covers parts of central and western Tennessee, including parts of the Nashville area. Because the vacancy affects the balance of seats in the closely divided U.S. House of Representatives, both national parties have invested heavily and turned the contest into a high‑profile race.
