In Middle Tennessee’s Nashville-adjacent 7th District, Republican Matt Van Epps defeated Democrat Aftyn Behn in a high-profile special election to fill the seat of retiring Rep. Mark Green. The race drew outsized attention and a deluge of campaign spending from both parties, with national figures weighing in as the contest became a litmus test for political mood in a district long considered safely Republican.
From the start, the race was one of the most expensive and closely watched in a Tennessee specialty election. National money flowed into ads and outreach as both campaigns argued over street-level concerns such as security, the cost of living, and road funding, while President Donald Trump publicly backed Van Epps and Behn received visible support from Vice President Kamala Harris and DNC Chair Ken Martin. The dynamic underscored how national figures can cast a long shadow over a local race, even in a district that leans strongly GOP on the congressional map.
Polls closed at 8 p.m. ET on December 2, 2025, and results began streaming in through the evening. After a night of tallying and projections by local outlets and national networks, Van Epps held a margin of about eight percentage points over Behn, securing the deep-red seat for Republicans and preventing what many observers feared could become a costly upset.
Analysts described the result as a relief for the Republican brand in a district that has long sent conservative lawmakers to Congress. The outcome was also read as a potential barometer for political sentiment across suburban and exurban pockets of Tennessee as parties weigh their strategies ahead of broader midterm races and the 2026 cycle. Whether the nationalized spotlight on the race will translate into lasting momentum for Van Epps in the next cycle remains a key question for Republican operatives and Democratic challengers alike.
Locally, supporters of Behn framed the race as evidence that money and national endorsements can influence, but not inevitably determine, outcomes in tight contests. For Van Epps, the victory preserves a GOP foothold in a district that includes portions of Nashville’s suburban ring while signaling that the party can defend a high-profile seat even under intense national scrutiny.
Disclosure: We may earn a commission when you make a purchase through the ads.