Republicans delivered a major political victory Tuesday night, officially holding a critical congressional seat in deep-red Tennessee. The win reinforces President Donald Trump’s momentum and helps protect the GOP’s narrow House majority ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
GOP nominee Matt Van Epps defeated Democrat Aftyn Behn by nine points—preventing Democrats from flipping a seat Trump won by a huge margin in 2024.
Van Epps celebrated the victory as a turning point for the district and for the country.
“This race was about the future of Tennessee and the future of America,” he said.
A High-Stakes Election for the Republican Majority
With Republicans maintaining only a slim margin in the House, national leaders viewed this special election as essential. Losing the seat would have weakened the GOP’s ability to push Trump’s agenda on border security, the economy, national defense, and government spending.
Tennessee’s 7th District has been a conservative stronghold for decades. Trump carried it by 22 points, and former Rep. Mark Green consistently posted double-digit victories.
But this year, Democrats believed they saw an opportunity. After a few off-year wins nationally, liberal activists and progressive donors flooded the Tennessee race with money, volunteers, and national media attention.
Despite that investment, Republicans held firm.
Trump’s Endorsement Delivers Big—Again
President Trump endorsed Van Epps early, giving the GOP nominee a massive boost in the primary and general election. After the win, Trump celebrated online:
“Another great night for the Republican Party!!! Congratulations to Van Epps on his BIG Congressional WIN.”
Van Epps made clear the victory belonged to Trump as much as to him.
“President Trump was all-in with us. That made the difference. And in Congress, I’ll be all-in with him.”
For conservative voters age 50+, the message was unmistakable: Trump still drives turnout, still energizes the base, and still wins elections the media says are “too close to call.”
Democrats Try to Spin the Loss as a Victory
Aftyn Behn—labeled by the left as the “AOC of Tennessee”—attempted to frame her defeat as a sign of changing politics in the South.
In her concession speech, she said:
“Tonight is the beginning of something powerful across Tennessee and the South.”
Top Democrats echoed the talking point, claiming her performance was a “warning sign” for Republicans. But the numbers tell a different story: Democrats poured in money and national surrogates and still came up short in a Trump +22 district.
Behn’s Controversial Past Statements Hurt Her Campaign
Behn struggled throughout the race with resurfaced comments that clashed with the traditional, faith-centered, patriotic values of Tennessee voters.
In a 2020 podcast, she declared:
“I hate country music. I hate the city. I hate the bachelorettes. I hate the things that make Nashville an ‘it’ city.”
Republicans questioned why someone who said she “hated” so much of Nashville wanted to represent Tennessee in Congress.
Other controversies included:
- A 2019 op-ed calling Tennessee “a racist state”
- Criticism of law enforcement on old social-media accounts
- Comparisons to far-left Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
- Vocal support from progressive activists and national liberal groups
For older voters, especially conservatives, these issues underscored how far left the Democratic Party has moved.
Republicans United to Protect the Seat
Recognizing the importance of the race, top GOP leaders rallied behind Van Epps.
Those campaigning with him included:
- House Speaker Mike Johnson
- Gov. Bill Lee
- Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty
- RNC Chair Joe Gruters
- Former GOP rivals who endorsed Van Epps after the primary
The night before the election, Speaker Johnson even called President Trump on speakerphone during a rally. Trump delivered a message to voters:
“Make it a sweeping victory. The world is watching Tennessee.”
Crowds erupted.
Democrats’ National Machine Still Couldn’t Flip a Deep-Red Seat
Behn received support from:
- AOC
- Pramila Jayapal
- LaTosha Brown (Black Voters Matter)
- Former VP Al Gore
The DNC spent heavily, bought ads, and deployed organizers—but ultimately failed to overcome the district’s conservative backbone.
NRCC Chair Richard Hudson praised Van Epps:
“Tennesseans know they can trust him to fight for their safety, security, and prosperity.”
Van Epps: “This Is a Victory for President Trump”
After his win, Van Epps reaffirmed that the GOP is ready to carry this momentum into 2026.
“This is a victory for Republicans, for our district, and for President Trump. And we’re going to win again in 2026.”