Republican Matt Van Epps won a closely watched special election in Tennessee on Tuesday for a seat in the US House, reports the AP, which called the race about an hour after polls closed. Van Epps, a military veteran and former state general services commissioner from Nashville, defeated Democratic state Rep. Aftyn Behn to represent the 7th Congressional District. Van Epps benefited from more than $1 million in spending from MAGA Inc.—the first time the Trump-supporting super PAC spent money on a campaign since last year's presidential race, a reflection of the special election's outsize importance.
In a victory statement, Van Epps said he will be "all-in" with Trump in Congress. "Running from Trump is how you lose. Running with Trump is how you win," he said. "Our victory was powered by a movement of Tennesseans that are ready for change. We are grateful to the President for his unwavering support that charted this movement and catapulted us to victory. Trump congratulated Van Epps, saying in a social media post: "The Radical Left Democrats threw everything at him, including Millions of Dollars. Another great night for the Republican Party!!!"
Republicans entered Election Day hoping to scuttle Democratic claims that even red districts are now in play as Trump struggles with low approval ratings and persistent economic dissatisfaction. Democrats recently won by wide margins in New Jersey, Virginia, and elsewhere, and they hoped that a strong showing in Tennessee could further embolden the party ahead of midterm elections next November.
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