Trump-backed Van Epps and Democrat Behn win Tennessee primaries for special House election

NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Matt Van Epps, a former commissioner in Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee’s administration, won a crowded Republican primary Tuesday in the special election to replace a GOP congressman who left office this summer.

In the Democratic primary, state Rep. Aftyn Behn won a four-way contest and will face Van Epps in the general election.

Van Epps clinched the victory with an endorsement from President Donald Trump that came after in-person early voting ended. Eleven Republicans were on the ballot for the seat vacated by former U.S. Rep. Mark Green. Among them, two candidates, including state Rep. Lee Reeves, suspended their campaigns after Trump weighed in, and they likewise endorsed Van Epps.

“Thank you to the people of Middle and West Tennessee! Our Donald J. Trump-endorsed campaign won in a landslide tonight,” Van Epps said on social media. “Now, on to December 2nd! We’re going to win the general and keep this seat RED!”

The Dec. 2 general election could gauge the popularity of Trump’s aggressive second-term agenda, especially with suburban Republican voters.

The seat is one of three districts that GOP lawmakers drew as safely red in 2022 by dividing left-leaning Nashville. Its voters elected Green by 21 percentage points in 2024 and by nearly 22 points in 2022.

During the primary campaign, Van Epps leaned into his military experience, including as a Tennessee Army National Guard lieutenant colonel and as an Army Special Operations helicopter pilot. Among the competitors he defeated were state Reps. Jody Barrett and Gino Bulso.

Trump’s backing followed Van Epps’ prior endorsements from Lee, Green and U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio.

Behn bested fellow state Reps. Bo Mitchell and Vincent Dixie and businessperson Darden Copeland in the Democratic primary.

Behn is a social worker and community organizer. One of her focuses has been on women’s reproductive health rights, including as a plaintiff in a lawsuit against a Tennessee law banning adults from helping minors get an abortion without parental permission. A judge halted the provision’s enforcement.

On the campaign trail, the Democratic candidates attacked the legislation Trump dubbed the “Big, Beautiful Bill,” in addition to his tariffs.

The 7th Congressional District spans 14 counties, bordering both Kentucky and Alabama. Along with parts of Nashville, it includes rural areas, wealthy suburbs and part of a military installment, Fort Campbell.

Outside groups spent more than $3.1 million on the race, almost all on the GOP side, with about $1.1 million opposing Barrett.

Of its nine seats in the U.S. House, Tennessee currently has one Democrat, Rep. Steve Cohen of Memphis. Republican redistricting in 2022 allowed the GOP to flip another Democratic seat that was drawn to include only part of Nashville.