President Donald Trump celebrated Republican Matt Van Epps’ victory in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, criticizing Democrats for spending millions of dollars in a failed attempt to flip the deep-red seat.
Van Epps secured 53.9% of the vote against Democrat Aftyn Behn’s 45.1%, according to nearly complete returns.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump expressed his satisfaction in seeing the Republicans continuing to clinch more seats despite serious opposition to their motions by the Democrats.
“Congratulations to Matt Van Epps on his big win in Tennessee. The Radical Left Democrats threw everything at him, including millions of dollars. Another great night for the Republican Party,” he wrote.
The Associated Press called the race at 9:37 p.m. Eastern Time on December 2, 5:37 a.m. in Kenya on December 3.
Record Spending in a Safe Tennessee District
Campaign finance reports show over $6.5 million (Ksh840.45M) was spent by outside groups in this race, an unusually high figure for a district Trump won by 22 points in 2024.
Republican groups spent more than $3.5 million (Ksh452.55M), led by MAGA Inc. with $1.6 million (Ksh206.88M)
Democratic groups spent about $1.8 million (Ksh232.74M), including $1 million (Ksh129.3) from House Majority PAC.
Van’s opponent in the Tennessee race, Aftyn Behn, raised more money from individual donors— $1.23 million versus $993,000 — but Van Epps received far more PAC support (Ksh159M versus Ksh128.4M).
Behn, a progressive lawmaker from Nashville, campaigned on affordability and healthcare, themes that resonated nationally in recent Democratic wins.
Her slogan — “Feed kids, fix roads, fund hospitals” — contrasted sharply with Van Epps’ pledge to advance Trump’s “America First” agenda.
In his victory speech, Van Epps told supporters he would advance the administration’s “America First” agenda in Congress.
“Running from Trump is how you lose. Running with Trump is how you win.”
Margins Shrink
The race followed the July resignation of Rep. Mark Green, and democrats hoped to make the contest competitive after recent wins in other states, including Virginia, New Jersey, and New York.
Green said he was moving to the private sector to start a business aimed at helping America compete globally, especially against China.
Republicans have since treated the seat as critical, as they currently face a slim House majority, an issue that has significantly hindered the passage of bills.
Van Epps’ win expands the GOP’s House majority to 220-213, but the reduced margin — down from Green’s 21-point victory last year — has Democrats claiming a symbolic victory.
The victory gives Republicans a temporary majority in the House until a Georgia vacancy is filled in early 2026.
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Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin called Behn’s performance historic, arguing that forcing Republicans to spend heavily in a Trump +22 district signals vulnerability ahead of the 2026 midterms.
The Cost of a Safe Seat
The Tennessee race showed how expensive U.S. politics has become, with both parties spending millions to defend or challenge a district considered safe for Republicans.
After the record-breaking spending in Tennessee, many political analysts say that this level of spending reflects growing national interest in even local contests and the high stakes of a slim House majority.
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Questions might also arise among voters about whether campaign money is shaping priorities more than policy.
For candidates, it signals that no seat is truly “safe” anymore, as both parties prepare for fierce battles ahead of the 2026 midterms.
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