Summary
Republican Matt Van Epps won a special election for a House seat in Tennessee's conservative district by defeating Democrat Aftyn Behn. Despite the loss, Democrats performed better than in past elections, narrowing the gap compared to previous races. This result maintains the Republican majority in the House of Representatives.
Key Facts
- Matt Van Epps, a Republican, defeated Democrat Aftyn Behn by about 6 percentage points.
- This election took place in Tennessee's 7th Congressional District, which usually supports Republicans.
- Democrats improved their performance from the 2024 election where President Trump won the district by 22 points.
- The district includes parts of Nashville, Clarksville, and rural areas in central Tennessee.
- The seat became available after former Representative Mark Green retired for a private sector job.
- President Donald Trump supported Van Epps, urging voters in the district to vote.
- Important Democrats, like Al Gore and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, supported Behn.
- The election increases the Republican majority in the House of Representatives to 219 seats over 213 for the Democrats.
