WASHINGTON, Dec 3 (Reuters) – Tennessee voters elected Republican Matt Van Epps to a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. media outlets projected on Tuesday, reinforcing President Donald Trump’s party’s narrow lead in the House heading into next year’s midterm elections.
Van Epps, former commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services, defeated Democratic state representative Aftyn Behn, according to projections from outlets including the Associated Press and NBC News. Van Epps will fill the seat vacated by former congressman Mark Green, who resigned in July. The Middle Tennessee district includes parts of Nashville.
Trump won the district by 22 points in 2024, and both Trump and Green have endorsed Van Epps. An Emerson College Polling/The Hill poll released last week suggested it could be a close race.
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A Democratic turnaround in an off-cycle election, following a holiday weekend, would have shrunk Republicans’ 219-213 House majority.
In a statement, Van Epps thanked Trump “for his unwavering support,” adding: “President Trump was completely with us. That made the difference. In Congress, I will always be by his side.’
