Tennessee nail-biter sees Republican Van Epps hold House seat as far-left Democrat rides blue tsunami to surprising finish
Trump handed boost as Republican Matt Van Epps narrowly wins election
- Republican Matt Van Epps won the special election for Tennessee's 7th Congressional seat, defeating Democrat Aftyn Behn with 53.9 per cent of the vote.
- The race was surprisingly close in a district that previously voted for Donald Trump by a 22-point margin, indicating potential difficulties for the Republican Party in next year's midterm elections.
- Donald Trump congratulated Van Epps on his victory, with Van Epps acknowledging Trump's "unwavering support" as crucial to his success.
- Democrats interpreted Behn's strong performance as a significant warning for Republicans, highlighting that the GOP had to spend millions to narrowly hold onto the seat.
- Both candidates received national backing, with House Speaker Mike Johnson and Donald Trump supporting Van Epps, while Kamala Harris and other prominent Democrats campaigned for Behn.