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Tennessee's 7th Congressional District special election, 2025
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Matt Van Epps (R) won the special election for Tennessee's 7th Congressional District on December 2, 2025. Click here for detailed election results.
Van Epps, Aftyn Behn (D), and four independent candidates ran in the election. The special election filled the vacancy created when the former incumbent, Rep. Mark Green (R), resigned on July 20, 2025.[1]
Before the election, the Tennessee Lookout's Sam Stockard wrote, "The special election for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District seat is shaping up as a classic conservative-liberal battle that pits urban versus rural voters in a heavily red region."[2] According to The Tennessean's Austin Hornbostel and Vivian Jones, Republicans had represented the district since 1983, "but new district boundaries drawn by the Republican-controlled state legislature in 2021 moved the district into northern Nashville and added a significant Democrat population."[3]
Van Epps was a Tennessee Army National Guard lieutenant colonel and a special operations helicopter pilot. He served as commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services and as deputy chief operating officer in the governor's office.[4] He earned his bachelor's degree in political science and mechanical engineering from West Point and his master's degree in public administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.[5]
Van Epps' campaign website said he would bring "conservative leadership grounded in service, experience, and unwavering commitment to Tennessee values and President Trump's America First agenda."[6] President Donald Trump (R) endorsed Van Epps days before the primary election.[7] Van Epps said, "Together, we will bring down the cost of living, keep our families and communities safe, lower the cost of prescription drugs and healthcare, deport criminal illegals, and get our veterans the care and support they've earned."[8]
Behn represented the 51st District in the Tennessee House of Representatives. She was elected in a 2023 special election and re-elected in 2024. Behn earned her bachelor's degree in psychology and her master's degree in social work from the University of Texas at Austin. She worked as a social worker and community organizer.[9]
Behn's campaign website said, "She’s now running for Congress after the so-called 'Big, Beautiful Bill' passed — a giveaway to the wealthy that codified the largest transfer of wealth from working people to the rich in American history."[10] Behn ran on her record as an activist and state representative.[11] In a campaign ad, Behn said, "As a state representative in Tennessee, I fought to eliminate Tennessee's grocery tax. In Congress, I will fight to make sure your rural hospitals and nursing homes stay open, and I will make sure that no one loses their healthcare because they can't afford it."[12]
Independents Teresa Christie, Bobby Dodge, Robert James Sutherby, and Jonathan Thorp also ran.
Heading into the election, Republicans had a 219-213 majority in the U.S. House with three vacancies. This was the sixth special congressional election in 2025, after two April elections in Florida's 1st District and 6th District, two September elections in Virginia's 11th District and Arizona's 7th District, and a November election in Texas' 18th District.
As of December 4, 2025, nine special elections have been called for the 119th Congress. From the 113th Congress to the 118th Congress, 80 special elections were held. For more data on historical congressional special elections, click here.
This page focuses on Tennessee's 7th Congressional District special election. For more in-depth information on the district's special primaries, see the following pages:
- Tennessee's 7th Congressional District special election, 2025 (October 7 Democratic primary)
- Tennessee's 7th Congressional District special election, 2025 (October 7 Republican primary)
Candidates and election results
General election
Special general election for U.S. House Tennessee District 7
The following candidates ran in the special general election for U.S. House Tennessee District 7 on December 2, 2025.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Matt Van Epps (R) | 53.8 | 95,470 |
 | Aftyn Behn (D) | 45.2 | 80,181 | |
 | Jonathan Thorp (Independent)  | 0.5 | 923 | |
 | Teresa Christie (Independent) | 0.3 | 607 | |
| Bobby Dodge (Independent) | 0.1 | 195 | ||
 | Robert James Sutherby (Independent) | 0.1 | 128 | |
| Total votes: 177,504 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Steven Hooper (Independent)
- Scerick Richard Longcope (Independent)
- David Richard Holbert (Independent)
- Caleb Stack (Independent)
Democratic primary election
Special Democratic primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 7
Aftyn Behn defeated Darden Copeland, Bo Mitchell, and Vincent Dixie in the special Democratic primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 7 on October 7, 2025.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Aftyn Behn | 27.9 | 8,648 |
 | Darden Copeland | 24.9 | 7,716 | |
 | Bo Mitchell | 24.2 | 7,492 | |
 | Vincent Dixie | 23.1 | 7,146 | |
| Total votes: 31,002 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Joy Davis (D)
Republican primary election
Special Republican primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 7
The following candidates ran in the special Republican primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 7 on October 7, 2025.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Matt Van Epps | 51.6 | 19,001 |
 | Jody Barrett | 25.3 | 9,335 | |
 | Gino Bulso | 10.9 | 4,004 | |
 | Lee Reeves | 5.2 | 1,929 | |
 | Mason Foley | 2.8 | 1,022 | |
 | Stewart Parks | 1.6 | 595 | |
 | Jason Knight | 1.0 | 381 | |
 | Stuart Cooper (Unofficially withdrew) | 0.6 | 239 | |
 | Tres Wittum | 0.4 | 133 | |
 | Joe Leurs | 0.3 | 122 | |
 | Adolph Agbéko Dagan | 0.3 | 93 | |
| Total votes: 36,854 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Robert James Sutherby (R)
- Brandon Ogles (R)
- Eddie Lee Murphy (R)
- John Wilt (R)
- John Wesley Smith IV (R)
- Michael Vogel (R)
- Noah Cline (R)
- Robby Moore (R)
Comparison to previous election
The total turnout in 2025 was 55% of the turnout in the 2024 election. The number of Democratic votes was 65.3% of the number received in 2024. The number of Republican votes was 49.7% of the number received in 2024. The margin of victory (MOV) in the special election was 15,289 votes (8.6 percentage points), which was closer than the 2024 MOV of 69,228 votes (21.5 percentage points).
The following chart compares the results and total votes between the Nov. 5, 2024, regular election for this seat and the 2025 special election.
Voting information
- See also: Voting in Tennessee
Candidate comparison
Candidate profiles
This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office:
- Tennessee House of Representatives (assumed office 2023)
Biography: Behn earned her bachelor's degree in psychology and her master's degree in social work from the University of Texas at Austin. She worked as a social worker and organizer, including as the campaign director for Rural Organizing.
Show sources
Sources: News Channel 5, "'If you think things are going well, I’m not your candidate:’ Aftyn Behn to Tenn. special election voters," October 24, 2025; WZTV Nashville, "Democratic candidate Aftyn Behn and GOP candidate Matt Van Epps lay out visions for Tenn.," October 8, 2025; The Behn Factor, "Why We Need to Send an Organizer to Congress," August 7, 2025; Nashville Banner, "Afytn Behn," July 20, 2024
This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Tennessee District 7 in 2025.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Biography: Van Epps graduated from West Point and served 10 years active duty in the Army. He later served as deputy chief operating officer in the Tennessee governor's office then as commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services.
Show sources
This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Tennessee District 7 in 2025.
Party: Independent
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "I am a Pastor serving in Big Sandy Tennessee. Much like a Pastor I view the role of this position to be one that serves others. While the church has been going through extreme persecution I felt led to run for this position as it seems each election cycle it is normally the one who spends the most or has the most spent for them that wins. This is the case in the Republican primary again. It seems each year that people are more and more disillusioned by what becomes a forced choice. So I am running for those that feel they are being marginalized in both the parties. Their are six candidates left but notice the silence in having debate or discussion with the independent candidates. The race is pitted as either R or D. Over 70 percent of the democrats did NOT vote for their candidate. And nearly 50% of Republicans did not vote for the candidate. If all these people and include the Christian Community voted for me they would get their candidate, not one that was hand picked by the last person holding the job. Or you would not be forced to vote for the AOC of Dickson County Democrats. This should always be about the people of the district. Their should be a rule that you must live in the district to run, if elected I would put forth such a bill. I would go further to have more open discourse with all people. If elected I would actually ask many of the candidates from both sides to join together to best serve the district."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Tennessee District 7 in 2025.
Party: Independent
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "I never set out to be a politician. My life has been about service—first as an Army combat pilot in Afghanistan, then flying for the Metro Nashville Police, and now as an air ambulance pilot, helping people on some of their hardest days. Those experiences taught me that leadership isn’t about titles or talking points, it’s about showing up when it matters most. Like many people, I grew frustrated watching politics become more about party lines and special interests than about people. Too often, the voices of ordinary Tennesseans are drowned out in the noise of Washington. I believe it doesn’t have to be that way. I’m running to represent those who feel left out of the conversation Not because they don’t care, but because no one has been speaking for them. This campaign is about putting people first, not politics. Stepping outside the partisan game doesn’t make us powerless, it makes us the difference. My wife and I are raising our two boys in Robertson County, along with a few too many animals. The values guiding my life—integrity, humility, service, and looking out for one another—are the same values I’ll carry to Congress. I’m not running to join the system; I’m running to fix it. If you’ve been waiting for someone to say what you’ve been thinking—that we can do better, and we deserve better—this campaign is for you."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Tennessee District 7 in 2025.
Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses
Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
Survey responses from candidates in this race
Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
| Collapse all
Robert James Sutherby (Independent)
AI this topic needs to be reigned in. The impact is going to be way beyond what pundits think. The effects are going to displace many workers and in this vein we need to lower the amount of immigration folks coming in. There is going to be many layoffs coming and to help the Americans already here we need to prepare for that, by not continuing the nearly one million a year immigrants each year. The times have changed and as a congressman we need those that are looking ahead on the horizon and discerning what is coming with these changes. We need action not reaction.
Economy, we need to not keep looking back on trends and impacts of the past when there are so many new technologies coming out that our economy will not be traditional in any sense in the near future. It is clear that democrats (not all) but the move of the left of the party is clearly towards communism. Some would say socialism. Shortly you will see what that looks like in New York City with Mayor Zohran Mandami. This is not the path that Americans as a collective want to see.
Jonathan Thorp (Independent)
Washington is broken because politicians serve parties and special interests before the people they represent. I’m running to change that. I’ll be an independent voice who answers to Tennesseans, not party bosses. My guiding principle is simple: do what’s right, not what’s politically convenient.
Restoring Fiscal Sanity
Runaway spending and reckless policies are driving up the cost of everything from groceries to gas. Families shouldn’t pay the price for Washington’s dysfunction. I’ll fight to rein in spending, cut red tape, and make it easier for businesses and workers to thrive in Tennessee.
A Lifetime of Service, Not Politics
Robert James Sutherby (Independent)
Jonathan Thorp (Independent)
Robert James Sutherby (Independent)
Robert James Sutherby (Independent)
Jonathan Thorp (Independent)
Integrity matters just as much. In the Army and later in the air ambulance world, I learned that integrity means doing the right thing when no one is watching. For a representative, that means remembering whose money is being spent. Tax dollars are not government’s money; they’re the people’s money. I believe an elected official should treat every dollar as if it were coming from their own pocket, because in a very real sense, it is.
But principles don’t stop with honesty and stewardship. Humility is just as vital. Public office is not about building a career, it’s about service. It’s about understanding that the authority you hold was lent to you by the people, and it can be taken back at any time. An elected official should resist the arrogance of power and stay grounded in the lives of the people they represent.
Finally, courage is essential. Doing the right thing for all constituents—today and in the future—often means standing apart from party pressure, lobbyists, and even colleagues. Courage is what separates someone who talks about change from someone willing to make it.
These principles—honesty, integrity, humility, and courage—are not lofty ideals. They are practical necessities if we want to restore faith in government and hand down a country worthy of our children.
Robert James Sutherby (Independent)
Robert James Sutherby (Independent)
Jonathan Thorp (Independent)
If I’m fortunate enough to serve in Congress, I want my legacy to reflect the same principle: that I showed up when it mattered. That I put people first, even when it meant standing apart from the status quo. That I fought to restore fiscal sanity so our children wouldn’t inherit a weaker nation weighed down by debt. That I worked to rebuild trust in a government too many Americans have given up on.
On a personal level, I want my boys to look back and know their dad didn’t just talk about problems, he stepped forward to try to fix them. I want them to see that integrity and honesty matter more than popularity, and that public service means sacrifice, not self-promotion.
Ultimately, the legacy I hope to leave is simple: that I lived up to the values I was raised with—integrity, humility, and service—and that I used whatever time I had to leave my community and my country stronger than I found it.
Robert James Sutherby (Independent)
Jonathan Thorp (Independent)
Robert James Sutherby (Independent)
Jonathan Thorp (Independent)
Robert James Sutherby (Independent)
Robert James Sutherby (Independent)
Robert James Sutherby (Independent)
Robert James Sutherby (Independent)
Robert James Sutherby (Independent)
Robert James Sutherby (Independent)
Jonathan Thorp (Independent)
Our debt is more than a number on a spreadsheet. It’s a national security risk, because a nation buried in debt cannot act freely. It’s an economic time bomb, because interest payments alone are consuming more of the federal budget than defense or healthcare. And it’s a moral failing, because it means we are living at our children’s expense.
The next decade will test whether we have the courage to confront this reality. Do we have leaders willing to say “no” to endless borrowing? Are we willing to make government live within its means, just as families and businesses must do? If not, we risk not only our economy, but the very promise of upward mobility that defines America.
Addressing this challenge is not about left versus right. It’s about sustainability and stewardship. It’s about remembering that government does not create wealth, it only spends what others have created. And if it spends too much, it destroys the foundation of prosperity for everyone.
The greatest challenge of the next decade is also our greatest opportunity: to reset our course, restore fiscal responsibility, and build a nation strong enough to stand free for generations to come.
Robert James Sutherby (Independent)
Robert James Sutherby (Independent)
Robert James Sutherby (Independent)
Robert James Sutherby (Independent)
Robert James Sutherby (Independent)
Robert James Sutherby (Independent)
Robert James Sutherby (Independent)
Robert James Sutherby (Independent)
Robert James Sutherby (Independent)
Robert James Sutherby (Independent)
Robert James Sutherby (Independent)
Robert James Sutherby (Independent)
Campaign advertisements
This section includes a selection of up to three campaign advertisements per candidate released in this race, as well as links to candidates' YouTube, Vimeo, and/or Facebook video pages. If you are aware of other links that should be included, please email us.
Aftyn Behn
View more ads here:
Matt Van Epps
View more ads here:
Election competitiveness
Polls
- See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
We provide results for polls from a wide variety of sources, including media outlets, social media, campaigns, and aggregation websites, when available. No polls were available for this election. To notify us of polls published in this election, please email us.
Endorsements
Click the links below to see official endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites for any candidates that make that information available. If you are aware of a website that should be included, please email us.
Election spending
Campaign finance
| Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aftyn Behn | Democratic Party | $1,230,629 | $708,892 | $521,737 | As of November 12, 2025 |
| Matt Van Epps | Republican Party | $992,716 | $761,549 | $231,167 | As of November 12, 2025 |
|
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2025. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." |
|||||
Satellite spending
- See also: Satellite spending
Satellite spending describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[13][14][15]
If available, this section includes links to online resources tracking satellite spending in this election. To notify us of a resource to add, email us.
| By candidate | By election |
|---|---|
District analysis
Click the tabs below to view information about voter composition, past elections, and demographics in both the district and the state.
- District map - A map of the district in place for the election.
- Competitiveness - Information about the competitiveness of 2024 U.S. House elections in the state.
- Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the district and the state.
- State party control - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.
Below was the map in use at the time of the election. Click the map below to enlarge it.
This section contains data on U.S. House primary election competitiveness in Tennessee.
| Tennessee U.S. House competitiveness, 2014-2024 | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Office | Districts/ offices |
Seats | Open seats | Candidates | Possible primaries | Contested Democratic primaries | Contested Republican primaries | % of contested primaries | Incumbents in contested primaries | % of incumbents in contested primaries | ||||
| 2024 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 31 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 33.3% | 3 | 33.3% | ||||
| 2022 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 36 | 18 | 4 | 4 | 44.4% | 3 | 37.5% | ||||
| 2020 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 45 | 18 | 6 | 2 | 44.4% | 3 | 42.9% | ||||
| 2018 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 49 | 18 | 6 | 7 | 72.2% | 5 | 71.4% | ||||
| 2016 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 48 | 18 | 4 | 6 | 55.6% | 5 | 71.4% | ||||
| 2014 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 39 | 18 | 3 | 8 | 61.1% | 8 | 88.9% | ||||
Post-filing deadline analysis
The following analysis covers all U.S. House districts up for election in Tennessee in 2024. Information below was calculated on May 2, 2024, and may differ from information shown in the table above due to candidate replacements and withdrawals after that time.
Thirty-one candidates ran for Tennessee’s nine U.S. House districts, including 19 Democrats and 12 Republicans. That’s 3.4 candidates per district, less than in the previous three election cycles. There were 4.0 candidates per district in 2022, 5.0 candidates per district in 2020, and 5.4 in 2018.
The number of candidates who ran for the U.S. House in Tennessee in 2024 is also lower than any other year this decade.
No seats were open in 2024, meaning all incumbents ran for re-election. The last time all incumbents ran for re-election in Tennessee was in 2014.
Six candidates—five Democrats and one Republican—ran for the 8th Congressional District, the most candidates who ran for a seat in Tennessee in 2024.
Six primaries—four Democratic and two Republican—were contested in 2024, the fewest this decade. There were eight contested primaries in 2022, eight in 2020, 13 in 2018, 10 in 2016, and 11 in 2014.
Three incumbents—one Democrat and two Republicans—were in contested primaries in 2024. That’s the same as the previous two election cycles.
Candidates filed to run in the Republican and Democratic primaries in all eight districts, meaning no seats were guaranteed to either party.Partisan Voter Index
Heading into the 2024 elections, based on results from the 2020 and 2016 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was R+10. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 10 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made Tennessee's 7th the 144th most Republican district nationally.[16]
2020 presidential election results
The table below shows what the vote in the 2020 presidential election would have been in this district. The presidential election data was compiled by Daily Kos.
| 2020 presidential results in Tennessee's 7th based on 2024 district lines | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Biden
|
Donald Trump
| |||
| 41.3% | 56.4% | |||
Inside Elections Baselines
- See also: Inside Elections
Inside Elections' Baseline is a figure that analyzes all federal and statewide election results from the district over the past four election cycles. The results are combined in an index estimating the strength of a typical Democratic or Republican candidate in the congressional district.[17] The table below displays the Baseline data for this district.
| Inside Elections Baseline for 2024 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic Baseline
|
Republican Baseline
|
Difference | ||
| 39.4 | 57.6 | R+18.2 | ||
Presidential voting history
- See also: Presidential election in Tennessee, 2020
Tennessee presidential election results (1900-2020)
- 15 Democratic wins
- 16 Republican wins
| Year | 1900 | 1904 | 1908 | 1912 | 1916 | 1920 | 1924 | 1928 | 1932 | 1936 | 1940 | 1944 | 1948 | 1952 | 1956 | 1960 | 1964 | 1968 | 1972 | 1976 | 1980 | 1984 | 1988 | 1992 | 1996 | 2000 | 2004 | 2008 | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winning Party | D | D | D | D | D | R | D | R | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | D | R | R | D | R | R | R | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R |
Congressional delegation
The table below displays the partisan composition of Tennessee's congressional delegation as of May 2024.
| Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Tennessee | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | U.S. Senate | U.S. House | Total |
| Democratic | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Republican | 2 | 7 | 9 |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vacancies | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 2 | 9 | 11 |
State executive
The table below displays the officeholders in Tennessee's top three state executive offices as of May 2024.
| State executive officials in Tennessee, May 2024 | |
|---|---|
| Office | Officeholder |
| Governor | Bill Lee
|
| Secretary of State | Tre Hargett
|
| Attorney General | Jonathan Skrmetti
|
State legislature
Tennessee State Senate
| Party | As of February 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 6 | |
| Republican Party | 27 | |
| Other | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 33 | |
Tennessee House of Representatives
| Party | As of February 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 24 | |
| Republican Party | 75 | |
| Independent | 0 | |
| Other | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 99 | |
Trifecta control
The table below shows the state's trifecta status from 1992 until the 2024 election.
Tennessee Party Control: 1992-2024
Five years of Democratic trifectas • Fourteen years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| Senate | D | D | D | D | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | S | S | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
Election context
Ballot access requirements
The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in the 2025 special election. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Tennessee, click here.
| Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2025 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Office | Party | Signatures required | Filing fee | Filing deadline | Source |
| Tennessee | U.S. House | All candidates | 25 | N/A | 8/12/2025 | Source |
District history
2024
See also: Tennessee's 7th Congressional District election, 2024
Tennessee's 7th Congressional District election, 2024 (August 1 Republican primary)
Tennessee's 7th Congressional District election, 2024 (August 1 Democratic primary)
General election
General election for U.S. House Tennessee District 7
Incumbent Mark Green defeated Megan Barry and Shaun Greene in the general election for U.S. House Tennessee District 7 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Mark Green (R) | 59.5 | 191,992 |
 | Megan Barry (D) | 38.0 | 122,764 | |
| Shaun Greene (Independent) | 2.4 | 7,900 | ||
| Total votes: 322,656 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 7
Megan Barry advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 7 on August 1, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Megan Barry | 100.0 | 22,512 |
| Total votes: 22,512 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 7
Incumbent Mark Green advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 7 on August 1, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mark Green | 100.0 | 31,871 |
| Total votes: 31,871 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Caleb Stack (R)
- Stan Marlar (R)
- Brandon Ogles (R)
2022
General election
General election for U.S. House Tennessee District 7
Incumbent Mark Green defeated Odessa Kelly and Steven Hooper in the general election for U.S. House Tennessee District 7 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mark Green (R) | 60.0 | 108,421 |
 | Odessa Kelly (D) | 38.1 | 68,973 | |
| Steven Hooper (Independent) | 1.9 | 3,428 | ||
| Total votes: 180,822 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 7
Odessa Kelly advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 7 on August 4, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Odessa Kelly | 100.0 | 24,854 |
| Total votes: 24,854 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 7
Incumbent Mark Green advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 7 on August 4, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mark Green | 100.0 | 48,968 |
| Total votes: 48,968 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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2020
General election
General election for U.S. House Tennessee District 7
Incumbent Mark Green defeated Kiran Sreepada, Ronald Brown, and Scott Vieira in the general election for U.S. House Tennessee District 7 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mark Green (R) | 69.9 | 245,188 |
 | Kiran Sreepada (D) | 27.3 | 95,839 | |
 | Ronald Brown (Independent) | 2.2 | 7,603 | |
 | Scott Vieira (Independent) | 0.6 | 2,005 | |
| Total votes: 350,635 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Benjamin Estes (Reform Party)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 7
Kiran Sreepada advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 7 on August 6, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Kiran Sreepada | 100.0 | 23,390 |
| Total votes: 23,390 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 7
Incumbent Mark Green advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 7 on August 6, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mark Green | 100.0 | 73,540 |
| Total votes: 73,540 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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2018
General election
General election for U.S. House Tennessee District 7
Mark Green defeated Justin Kanew, Lenny Ladner, and Brent Legendre in the general election for U.S. House Tennessee District 7 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mark Green (R) | 66.9 | 170,071 |
 | Justin Kanew (D) | 32.1 | 81,661 | |
| Lenny Ladner (Independent) | 0.6 | 1,582 | ||
 | Brent Legendre (Independent) | 0.4 | 1,070 | |
| Total votes: 254,384 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 7
Justin Kanew defeated Matt Reel in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 7 on August 2, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Justin Kanew | 62.1 | 21,315 |
| Matt Reel | 37.9 | 13,006 | ||
| Total votes: 34,321 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 7
Mark Green advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 7 on August 2, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mark Green | 100.0 | 83,314 |
| Total votes: 83,314 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Earlier results
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2016Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Republican. Incumbent Marsha Blackburn (R) defeated Tharon Chandler (D) and Leonard Ladner (independent) in the general election on November 8, 2016. No candidate in the race faced a primary opponent in August.[18][19][20]
2014The 7th Congressional District of Tennessee held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014. Incumbent Marsha Blackburn (R) defeated Dan Cramer (D) and Lenny Ladner (L) in the general election.
2012The 7th Congressional District of Tennessee held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 6, 2012. incumbent Marsha Blackburn won re-election in the district.[21]
2010
2008
2006
2004
2002
2000
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2025 battleground elections
- See also: Battlegrounds
This was a battleground election. Other 2025 battleground elections included:
- City council elections in New York, New York, 2025 (June 24 Democratic primaries)
- Rock Ridge Public Schools, Minnesota, elections (2025)
- Wrightstown Community School District, Wisconsin, elections (2025)
See also
- Special elections to the 119th United States Congress (2025-2026)
- Tennessee's 7th Congressional District special election, 2025 (October 7 Democratic primary)
- Tennessee's 7th Congressional District special election, 2025 (October 7 Republican primary)
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ The Tennessean, "US Rep. Mark Green will step down July 20. Who could replace him?" July 8, 2025
- ↑ Tennessee Lookout, "Behn works to counter Trump endorsement of Van Epps in Tennessee’s Congressional District 7," October 22, 2025
- ↑ The Tennessean, "Behn, Van Epps to face off in special election for Tennessee's 7th Congressional District," October 8, 2025
- ↑ Matt Van Epps 2025 campaign website, "Meet Matt," accessed October 29, 2025
- ↑ Linkedin, "Matt Van Epps, MPA," accessed October 29, 2025
- ↑ Matt Van Epps 2025 campaign website, "Issues," accessed October 29, 2025
- ↑ Clarksville Now, "UPDATE: Congress candidate Matt Van Epps endorsed by Trump: ‘HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!’," October 3, 2025
- ↑ WZTV Nashville, "Democratic candidate Aftyn Behn and GOP candidate Matt Van Epps lay out visions for Tenn.," October 8, 2025
- ↑ Tennessee General Assembly, "Representative Aftyn Behn," accessed October 29, 2025
- ↑ Aftyn Behn 2025 campaign website, "Home," accessed October 29, 2025
- ↑ The Behn Factor, "Why We Need to Send an Organizer to Congress," August 7, 2025
- ↑ [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS6WGAVw43s YouTube, " I'm Aftyn Behn and I'm running for Congress." July 9, 2025]
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," December 12, 2021
- ↑ Cook Political Report, "The 2022 Cook Partisan Voting Index (Cook PVI℠)," accessed January 10, 2024
- ↑ Inside Elections, "Methodology: Inside Elections’ Baseline by Congressional District," December 8, 2023
- ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "Candidate Petitions Filed as of April 7, 2016 Noon Qualifying Deadline," accessed April 8, 2016
- ↑ Politico, "Tennessee House Primaries Results," August 4, 2016
- ↑ CNN, "Election Results," accessed November 8, 2016
- ↑ Politico, "2012 Election Map, Tennessee"
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 4, 2008," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 2006," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2004," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 5, 2002," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 2000," accessed March 28, 2013
