Van Epps clears first hurdle to replace Green with primary win
Matt Van Epps has won the Republican nomination to replace Mark Green in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District. Van Epps secured 42.3% of the vote in a primary against nine other candidates, with state Rep. Jody Barrett coming in second with 26.3%. The Associated Press called the race shortly after polls closed. Van Epps, an Army veteran and former Tennessee Department of General Services commissioner, benefited significantly from former President Donald Trump’s endorsement, which helped consolidate support after two of Van Epps’s rivals withdrew.
The GOP-leaning district virtually guarantees Van Epps’s victory in the December 2 general election, which will strengthen the House GOP majority. Currently, Speaker Mike Johnson’s majority is narrow, and Van Epps’s win will help maintain a slim Republican edge heading into the 2026 midterm elections. Jody Barrett was backed by the House Freedom Fund but faced criticism for opposing a school voucher expansion supported by Tennessee’s governor. Trump’s active campaigning included a tele-rally and social media efforts, underscoring his influence in the race.
Matt Van Epps wins GOP nomination to replace Mark Green in Congress
Republican Matt Van Epps is one step closer to the halls of Congress after winning the GOP nomination to replace former Tennessee GOP Rep. Mark Green in the House on Tuesday.
The Associated Press called the race for Van Epps at 8:40 p.m., 40 minutes after polls closed. Van Epps defeated nine other candidates in the primary with 42.3%. His closest competitor was state Rep. Jody Barrett, who received 26.3%.
Van Epps will advance to the general election on Dec. 2, where he is all but assured to win thanks to the 7th Congressional District’s safe Republican leaning.
The Army veteran and former commissioner of Tennessee’s Department of General Services’s victory was a testament to the strength of President Donald Trump’s endorsement, which pushed two of Van Epps’s original 11 competitors to withdraw and throw their support behind him.
Barrett had the backing of House Freedom Fund, which has endorsed and supported many conservative House Freedom Caucus members in Washington. But Barrett had drawn ire from school choice groups after he voted against Gov. Bill Lee’s (R-TN) school voucher expansion.
Trump had joined a tele-rally on Monday night with Club For Growth PAC supporters and made a final endorsement push on Truth Social on Tuesday morning.
TENNESSEE GOP PRIMARY TO REPLACE MARK GREEN TESTS STRENGTH OF TRUMP ENDORSEMENT
If Van Epps wins the general election, his victory will bolster the House GOP’s majority. Currently, Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) majority sits at two seats. With a Nov. 4 special election in Texas likely to yield a Democrat victor, the majority is expected to narrow to just one seat.
Van Epps’s victory in December will push the majority back to two seats, giving Johnson slight breathing room heading into the 2026 midterm cycle. With contentious legislation, every vote counts, and Johnson’s speakership has been plagued by revolt from fiscal hawks and other conservatives on his right flank.
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