Matt Van Epps, the decorated military veteran who earned the endorsement of President Trump, won the competitive U.S. House District 7 Republican primary to replace Rep. Mark Green.
- Van Epps will face Democratic winner state Rep. Aftyn Behn, a grassroots activist and progressive darling, in the Dec. 2 special election to complete Green's term. The AP called the races for Van Epps and Behn on Tuesday night.
Why it matters: The general election figures to attract national attention as a measuring stick for Trump's popularity. Democrats in other special elections this year have improved on their margins from 2024.
Zoom in: Van Epps overcame the challenges of being a first-time candidate with low name recognition by rolling out the big guns in terms of endorsements in the later stages of the primary.
- After Trump endorsed him last week, fellow candidate Lee Reeves said he was bowing out of the race and encouraged his supporters to vote for Van Epps.
- Gov. Bill Lee and powerful conservative U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan also backed Van Epps, who touted his military service during the campaign.
- Van Epps is a West Point graduate, who served as a combat helicopter pilot. More recently, he served as a lieutenant colonel in the National Guard. He was also the head of the state Department of General Services under Lee.
The other side: Behn worked as a health care advocate and grassroots activist before winning her state House seat in 2023. She was a vocal proponent for gun control following The Covenant School shooting.
- In the legislature, she's focused on pocketbook issues, including pushing to end the state grocery tax.
The intrigue: Democrats view the special election as a golden opportunity to flip the seat following Green's surprising retirement announcement over the summer.
- Special elections lead to lower turnout. Combined with turmoil in Washington D.C., Democrats are hoping to turn the race into a political sprint that leads to an upset in December.
- District 7 spans 14 counties, including a large section of Davidson County.
What's next: Van Epps and Behn will face off in the special election on Dec. 2.
