Matt Van Epps, a Republican and Army veteran, won the recent Tennessee special election for the U.S. House, defeating Democrat Aftyn Behn and keeping the seat in GOP hands.

Quick Scoop: Who Won the TN Election?

In the most recent high-profile Tennessee race, the winner was Matt Van Epps, the Republican candidate in the special election for the 7th Congressional District. He prevailed over Democratic state representative Aftyn Behn in a contest that drew national attention because it was much closer than past Republican blowouts in this deep-red area.

What Exactly Was This Election?

This wasn’t a regular statewide governor or presidential race, but a special election for a U.S. House seat that opened up when former Representative Mark Green left office. The district is in Middle Tennessee (the 7th District), a region that has usually voted strongly Republican, which is why the closer margin surprised many analysts.

How Close Was The Result?

  • Van Epps won with roughly 54 percent of the vote, while Behn received about 45 percent, according to tallies with almost all votes counted.
  • The margin of around 9 points is notably smaller than Donald Trump’s 22‑point win in the same district in the previous election, which commentators read as a potential warning sign for Republicans ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Why Was Everyone Watching?

The race drew heavy national money, attention, and high‑profile support, including direct backing from President Donald Trump for Van Epps. Because Democrats significantly cut the usual Republican margin, many pundits treated the outcome as a barometer for voter energy and mood before the broader midterm cycle.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.