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Matt Van Epps has defeated Democrat Aftyn Behn in a nationally watched Tennessee election that helped Republicans keep their majority in the United States House of Representatives.
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Van Epps — a West Point graduate who served as a Lt. Col. in the Tennessee Army National Guard before being appointed as commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services and serving in the governor’s office — won the special election for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District on Tuesday, earning 53.9% of the vote compared to Behn’s 45%. Other candidates got less than 1% each, CNN reported.
Van Epps addressed supporters in Nashville, calling his election victory “an incredible win” in which voters “sent a message loud and clear” that “the people of middle Tennessee stand with President Donald J. Trump.”
“I am humbled beyond belief to stand before you tonight as your next representative,” he added. “I will never forget the trust placed in me. … I want to thank God for His guidance and grace every step of the way.”
“Tonight, we did something everyone counted out. We proved to a nation that states like Tennessee are still worth fighting for,” tweeted Aftyn Behn for Congress following her loss. “The margin was close, and that can only be attributed to the thousands of volunteers who showed out. This is just the beginning.”
Though Van Epps was successful, many Republicans expressed concern over the result, as President Donald Trump had carried the district by 22 points in the 2024 election.
“I’m glad we won. But the GOP should not ignore the Virginia, New Jersey and Tennessee elections,” said Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, Politico reported. “We must reach swing voters. America wants some normalcy.”
An unnamed Republican member of the House told Politico that Tuesday’s results indicated that the 2026 congressional midterms are “going to be a bitch of an election cycle.”
“Republicans can survive if we play team and the Trump administration officials play smart. Neither is certain,” the member of Congress added.
What do you think of these election results? Share your thoughts and prayers below.
This article was originally published at The Christian Post. Photo Credit: Brett Carlsen/Getty Images.
