Trump-Endorsed Republican Wins Tennessee House Seat in Crucial Special Election

In a clear victory for the America First movement, Trump-backed Republican Matt Van Epps has officially secured a win in Tennessee’s high-stakes special election, defeating Democrat Aftyn Behn and keeping Republican control of the 7th Congressional District.

The seat previously held by GOP Rep. Mark Green was hotly contested, as Democrats poured millions into the race, hoping for an upset that could signal momentum ahead of the 2026 midterms. Instead, they walked away with a nine-point loss in a district Trump won by 22 points in 2024.

“This race was bigger than one campaign,” Van Epps declared after his win. “It was a defining moment for Tennessee and for the direction of the country.” And he’s right. While Democrats tried to rebrand a progressive organizer as a moderate, voters rejected extremism once again.

What this win means:

• Republicans maintain control of a crucial House seat, helping protect their slim majority as 2026 looms.

• President Trump’s endorsement proves decisive once again after backing Van Epps in a packed primary, he helped drive conservative turnout in a race many pundits falsely claimed was “too close to call.”

• Despite the media narrative, Aftyn Behn’s radical record and anti-Tennessee comments proved disqualifying to voters.

Behn, a far-left state legislator branded the “AOC of Tennessee,” ran on a platform of progressive talking points expanding government healthcare, climate extremism, and cultural radicalism. But her past remarks came back to haunt her including her 2020 podcast rant where she said: “I hate the city, I hate the bachelorettes, I hate pedal taverns, I hate country music.”

That’s right she ran for Congress in Tennessee after publicly declaring her hatred for Nashville, its culture, and the very state she wanted to represent. The RNC rightly asked: “If Behn hates Tennessee so much, why is she trying to represent it?”

President Trump slammed Behn on social media, saying she "hates Christianity" and "hates country music" remarks rooted in her own words. The race turned into a national referendum not just on GOP leadership, but on what kind of country voters want to live in.

Democrats, desperate to spin defeat, claimed Behn “overperformed” a weak consolation for losing a seat they spent heavily to flip. But numbers don’t lie: a Trump-endorsed veteran won handily in a race the media wanted to call a toss-up.

Van Epps, a combat veteran and former state official, focused his campaign on restoring public safety, economic opportunity, and traditional American values. His strong performance, bolstered by in-person campaigning from House Speaker Mike Johnson, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, and Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty, sent a loud message to D.C.

“This is a victory for Republicans. It’s a victory for our district. It’s a victory for President Trump,” Van Epps said.

Meanwhile, Behn used her concession speech to claim that her loss was somehow a “beginning” and that “we’ve already won over the hearts and minds” of Tennesseans. But try as they might, the Left can’t spin their loss into a win not in Tennessee, and not in 2026.

If anything, this race reinforces what many already know: Trump’s movement is growing, Democrats are overreaching, and Republican voters are ready to fight and win.

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