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After Republican candidate Matt Van Epps defeated Democrat candidate Aftyn Behn in Tuesday’s particular election race for Tennessee’s seventh Congressional District, each events cheered the outcomes.
Republicans touted a rejection of far-left radical insurance policies and their capability to retain the GOP-held seat vacated by retired GOP Congressman Mark Inexperienced. Democrats, alternatively, cheered the slim nature of Van Epps’ victory in a district President Donald Trump received by greater than 20 factors final yr, as Inexperienced did in his final two elections.
Van Epps received Tuesday night time by a nine-point margin.
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“Final night time was the newest flashing crimson gentle, indicating that People are fed up with Republican insurance policies, significantly how a lot they must pay for the issues they actually need,” Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer stated after the race was known as.
“A deep crimson Tennessee district that Trump received by 22 factors, swung by double digits in Democrats’ course.”
Progressive strategists and organizations described Behn’s marketing campaign, regardless of her loss, as “wonderful,” “properly run” and “nice,” noting she “gave Democrats within the South and throughout the nation a purpose to consider.”
Matt Van Epps and state Rep. Aftyn Behn, D-Nashville (Brett Carlsen/Getty Photographs; George Walker IV/AP Picture)
After the outcomes had been known as, President Trump touted Van Epps as a “improbable” addition to Tennessee’s congressional delegation and known as the win “BIG” for the GOP. The president identified that “Radical Left Democrats threw every thing at him, together with Thousands and thousands of {Dollars},” however Van Epps was nonetheless in a position to pull out a victory.
“Thousands and thousands of {dollars} of darkish cash wasted,” longtime lawyer and authorized commentator Mark Pulliam famous. “Aftyn Behn found that Center Tennessee won’t elect lunatic leftists to Congress.”
Behn’s marketing campaign was riddled with criticism about her historical past of radical activism, akin to pushing to “dissolve” the Nashville police division and defending rioters and looters who took to the streets in the course of the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020.
“I am at the moment concerned in a transformative justice seminar, and so it’s the best way to think about a world with out police and what that appears like and what group mechanisms seem like,” Behn stated throughout an interview with an area activist group previous to coming into elected workplace.
A video of Behn being dragged out of Tennessee Republican Gov. Invoice Lee’s workplace by police throughout an tried sit-in and feedback about how she “hate[s]” town she hoped to symbolize in D.C., citing her distaste for Nashville’s nation music scene and different components that make Nashville a preferred metropolis, additionally haunted Behn throughout her run.
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CNN’s Manu Raju famous in an interview forward of Tuesday’s election how, throughout her marketing campaign, Behn was dubbed the “AOC of Tennessee.”
Activist Aftyn Behn speaks throughout a rally as Tennesseans take motion for an financial restoration and infrastructure package deal prioritizing local weather, care, jobs, justice and name on Congress to cross The THRIVE Act April 2, 2021, in Nashville, Tenn. (Aftyn For Congress and Jason Davis/Getty Photographs)
“Aftyn Behn (D) misplaced tonight’s particular election in TN, however make no mistake: She’s the median Democrat, a lunatic radical progressive,” CNN conservative political commentator Scott Jennings stated of Tuesday night time’s election outcomes. “I would not be shocked if Dems proceed to run probably the most Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs candidates they’ll discover.”
Former Congressman David McIntosh, the co-founder of the Federalist Society for Legislation and Public Coverage and a member of FedSoc’s Board of Administrators, stated Jennings “nails it” in his post-election evaluation.
“It wasn’t precisely a nail-biter, however 9 factors isn’t a landslide,” The Day by day Wire’s Matt Walsh identified. “It ought to have gone Republican by like 40 factors yesterday. Taking a look at it objectively, that is what ought to have occurred when you think about who [Behn] is.”
Nevertheless, regardless of the reservations permeating all through the GOP following Tuesday’s election, Trump and different Republican leaders praised the victory.
Republican nominee Matt Van Epps delivers a victory speech after profitable a particular congressional election in Tennessee’s seventh District Dec. 2, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (Paul Steinhauser/Fox Information)
Republican Nationwide Committee Co-Chair KC Crosbie, stated Behn “manner underperformed” Tuesday and stated she is hopeful heading into the midterms.
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“I’ve seen a whole lot of the spin that the Democrats have been attempting to placed on it at this time, however for those who take a look at the 2025 particular elections, I imply Democrats in 2025 overperformed by 18 factors. [Behn] manner underperformed final night time, and it is as a result of their message is to this point off,” Crosbie stated.
“They’re simply bowing to the far-left, woke aspect of their social gathering and other people simply aren’t shopping for into their message. … So, we really feel actually good going into the midterms.”
“Tennesseans voted on this resounding win to reject socialism, to reject the far-left radical ideology and to assist commonsense conservatism,” Van Epps informed Fox Information following his election victory Tuesday. “We’re so pleased with our margin of victory, and I feel it is setting the tone for 2026. And we’re going to win decisively there and maintain the Home.”
“Widespread sense prevails,” Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., added. “We had an ideal candidate in Matt Van Epps, and you’ll’t deny the Donald Trump impact.”
Speaker of the Home Mike Johnson has indicated he hopes to swear in Van Epps as quickly as this week after his particular election win.
