Republican Matt Van Epps fended off a challenge from far-Left Democrat Aftyn Behn on Tuesday during a special election for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District.
With 95% of the vote in, DecisionDeskHQ has called the race for Van Epps 53.9% to 45%. Other outlets followed shortly after.
Van Epps’ victory allows Republicans to breathe a sigh of relief after Democrats surged money and resources into the race, hoping to capitalize on typically low Republican turnout in special elections. A win for Behn in the deep red district would have sent shockwaves throughout the nation. The self-described “radical” community organizer had previously voiced support for burning down police stations and supported transgender surgeries on young children.
The race was scheduled after former Rep. Mark Green announced his resignation earlier this year. Green won the district, which stretches from Tennessee’s borders with Kentucky and Alabama and includes parts of Nashville, by over 20 points.
In recent weeks, money poured into the race as Behn campaigned with Democrat favorites Al Gore and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
House Speaker Mike Johnson traveled to Tennessee on Monday to rally support for Van Epps.
Van Epps’ win bolsters Johnson’s slim majority in the House, which currently sits at 219-213.
Behn had a fundraising advantage over Van Epps, raising over $1 million between October 1 and November 12 while Van Epps took in $591,000 during that same timeframe. At the same time, the Trump-aligned MAGA Inc spent over $1 million backing Van Epps, while the Democrat-aligned House Majority PAC and Your Community PAC have spent a combined $950,000 supporting Behn.
Behn won a crowded Democratic primary in August despite a history of leftist advocacy out of touch with much of the Volunteer State’s conservative leaning.
She once claimed that men can give birth. Behn also said that the murder of six children by a transgender-identifying gunman at the Covenant School in Tennessee made her more sympathetic to “trans communities.” That apparent sympathy inspired her to “fight the far-right narrative that is being emanated by Matt Walsh and The Daily Wire.”
Behn also backs transgender procedures on children, draping a trans flag on her back during “Pride” month and writing on social media: “THESE COLORS DON’T BLEED. Remember, you come for my trans community, I come for you.”
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In a May 2022 podcast appearance, Behn said she supported the mailing of abortion pills into Tennessee by outside groups. Medication abortions are illegal under Tennessee law.
“We’ll continue to figure out how to get abortion pills to people. So the organizing does not stop just because Roe is overturned,” Behn said.
Last month, Behn went viral for comments she made about her hatred of country music and the city of Nashville.
Van Epps also won a crowded Republican primary after earning an endorsement from President Donald Trump. Trump called into a rally for Van Epps featuring Tennessee GOP heavyweights and held a tele-rally on Monday night for the Republican on the eve of the election.
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