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Results of the Tennessee 7th Congressional District Special Election, December 2, 2025
The special election for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District was held on December 2, 2025, to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Republican Representative Mark Green in July 2025.
The district, which encompasses rural areas and parts of Nashville, is a solidly Republican seat with a Cook Partisan Voting Index of R+10. Donald Trump won it by 22 points in the 2024 presidential election, and Green won it by more than 21 points in 2024.
Republican Matt Van Epps, a military veteran and former commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services, won the election, defeating Democratic State Representative Aftyn Behn.
Van Epps received a late endorsement from President Trump, which helped him secure the Republican nomination in the October 7 primaries.
Despite the Republican victory, the race was closer than expected, with Democrats exceeding expectations, amid a national trend of underperforming Republicans in the 2025 special elections.
The margin narrowed compared to historical benchmarks, raising concerns among Republicans about the 2026 midterm elections.
Total votes cast: ~180,000 (estimated; below average due to the special election in a non-election year).
Margin: Van Epps won by ~8.8 points (16,000 votes), a significant shift toward the Democrats compared to the 2024 results.
Primaries (October 7, 2025): Van Epps won the crowded Republican primary with Trump’s endorsement. Behn easily secured the Democratic nomination.
The contest attracted millions in outside spending, including $1 million each from Trump’s super PAC MAGA Inc. and the House Democratic Majority PAC. Notable visitors included Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and Trump allies.
Key county breakdowns (partial; Van Epps won in 12 of the 14 counties):
Areas with strong Republican support (e.g., Wayne County): Van Epps 85%. Competitive areas (e.g., Montgomery County): Van Epps 53%.
Democratic strongholds (e.g., Davidson County, including Nashville): Behn 78%.
Turnout: Early voting was strong, but overall turnout was below 2024 levels.
This result keeps the Republicans in control of the seat through the end of the 119th Congress (January 3, 2027). For complete maps and county updates, see sources such as The New York Times or AP.
