With over 84,000 votes cast during the early voting period, Tennessee’s 7th District special election is well underway, with Election Day set for Dec. 2. Leading candidates Matt Van Epps and Aftyn Behn are eager to fill the vacancy created following Rep. Mark Green’s resignation in late July. The district, stretching from the Kentucky border to just above the Alabama border, covers areas of both West and Middle Tennessee, including Vanderbilt.
Tennessee’s District 7 has historically been Republican-leaning, with Trump winning the district last November by 22 points and Rep. Green by 21 points. Nevertheless, Democrats are hopeful that the recent midterm election wins will continue over to Tennessee.
Matt Van Epps, the Republican nominee, is a West Point graduate, decorated military veteran, and former Tennessee state commissioner for the Department of General Services. He served nearly a decade as a special operations helicopter pilot and continues to serve in the Tennessee Army National Guard. Van Epps has centered his campaign on strengthening national security, lowering federal spending, and expanding economic opportunity for rural communities within the district.
Aftyn Behn, the Democratic nominee, is a state representative for Tennessee’s 51st House District. Behn won her seat in 2023, making her the youngest woman ever elected to the Tennessee House. Before her election, she worked as a social worker and advocate focused on healthcare access and social justice, two focuses that are maintained in her campaign.
A new Emerson College poll showing the contest in a dead heat has raised fears that a Democratic upset could shrink the GOP’s already razor-thin House majority to a zero-vote margin, meaning Republicans would lose the ability to pass any party-line legislation without every single member present and voting in full agreement. The abnormal timing of the election, immediately after Thanksgiving, has heightened turnout concerns as many voters may be away or disengaged. As Rep. Tim Burchett (R) of Tennessee’s 2nd District cautioned while urging Republicans to take the race seriously, “A lot of the Republicans are out of town. And I worry about them showing up on Election Day.”
This special election could also serve as a bellwether for the White House’s performance on key issues. Following the administration’s performance in the midterms, a shaky outcome here could reinforce the narrative that voters remain skeptical of national matters like the economy. Putting aside these broader dynamics, Vanderbilt student political organizations are also watching the race closely. Vandy Votes, an organization focused on empowering students through civic engagement, has been hosting phone-banking and letter-writing sessions to boost turnout in District 7. Similarly, Vanderbilt Women in Government recently hosted Democratic candidate Aftyn Behn for a discussion about her campaign. Both the Vanderbilt College Republicans and the Vanderbilt College Democrats are also staying informed on the election and encouraging constituents of the district to vote.
As Tennesseans head to the polls, the outcome in District 7 will not only determine who fills a vacant seat but has the potential to hint at deeper vulnerabilities for the GOP, raising questions about the party’s standing with voters heading into the next election cycle.
