Van Epps, Behn Come Out on Top in Special Election Primary

Republican Matt Van Epps and Democrat Aftyn Behn will face off in a special election for the 7th Congressional District seat after securing their party nominations last Tuesday.

Van Epps, the former Tennessee General Services Commissioner, won the GOP primary with around 49% of the 35,000 votes cast. Dickson State Representative Jody Barrett finished second with around 27%. Van Epps’ margin of victory was primarily driven by his military ties, support from former U.S. Rep. Mark Green, and a last-minute endorsement from President Donald Trump.

Behn, a Nashville State Representative, narrowly won the Democratic primary with around 28% of the vote. All four Democrats running in the primary received over 20%. When the race was called, Behn had only won one of the 14 counties in the district, but finished second in counties containing Nashville and Clarksville, where the majority of ballots were cast. Behn ran as a progressive outsider, advocating that the only way a Democratic candidate could win the heavily Republican district was with an energized turnout.

The district was previously represented by Mark Green, a Republican who was first elected to Congress in 2018, but resigned in July, triggering the special election. The 7th district encompasses the northern and western third of Davidson County, portions of Williamson and Montgomery Counties, and about a dozen rural counties, including Wayne.

The Republican primary included a field of 11 candidates, but Van Epps, Barrett, and State Representatives Gino Bulso and Lee Reeves emerged as the favorites in the race. The GOP candidates attempted to distinguish themselves from one another as they vied to demonstrate whose policies most closely aligned with those of President Donald Trump.

The Democratic primary was a tight four-way race with Behn besting businessman Darden Copeland and fellow Nashville State Representatives Vincent Dixie and Bo Mitchell. All four Democratic candidates agreed they would serve as a check on Trump’s presidency. Copeland, a first-time candidate, earned 24.8% of the Democratic vote, followed by Rep. Bo Mitchell with 24% and Rep. Vincent Dixie with 23.2%.

Matt Van Epps won the Wayne County vote in the Republican primary, bringing in 457 votes to Jody Barrett’s 266. Darden Copeland carried the Democratic ticket in Wayne County, edging out his closest competitor, Bo Mitchell, by only 20 votes.

The winner of the December 2 special election will have to run again in 2026 to secure a full term.