Republicans will maintain onto Tennessee’s seventh Congressional District regardless of a push by Democrats to flip the deep-red seat, the Related Press projected Tuesday, as Republican candidate Matt Van Epps is on monitor to defeat Democrat Aftyn Behn.
Tuesday’s particular election, held after the resignation of Republican Rep. Mark Inexperienced, drew nationwide consideration and was broadly seen as a referendum on President Trump. The president endorsed Van Epps throughout the primaries, participated in a telephone rally for the GOP candidate on the eve of the election and congratulated him on Tuesday night.
Inexperienced received within the district — which incorporates elements of Nashville and its suburbs, rural areas and a part of the Fort Campbell army base — by a decisive 21 factors final yr. Van Epps, a fight veteran, gave the impression to be on monitor to fall considerably in need of that margin.
Republicans entered Election Day hoping to scuttle Democratic claims that even purple districts are actually in play as Trump struggles with low approval scores and chronic financial dissatisfaction. The occasion can be combating to defend its single-digit majority within the Home.
Democrats received by huge margins in New Jersey, Virginia and elsewhere final month, they usually hoped {that a} sturdy displaying in Tennessee — or perhaps a slim loss — might additional embolden the occasion forward of midterm elections subsequent yr. Democrats had been additionally buoyed by polls that confirmed a closer-than-expected race, together with one which confirmed a low-single-digit contest.
Exterior cash poured into the district, with not less than $8 million spent on the race, a CBS Information evaluation discovered. The Trump-aligned MAGA Inc. spent greater than $1.6 million backing Van Epps, and Behn drew near $1 million in help from the Democratic-focused Home Majority PAC.
Van Epps has tied himself carefully to Mr. Trump, who referred to as the race a “large deal” throughout a telephone rally Monday that additionally featured remarks from Home Speaker Mike Johnson. In a victory speech Tuesday, Van Epps stated: “Working from Trump is the way you lose. Working with Trump is the way you win.”
In the meantime, Democratic Nationwide Committee Chair Ken Martin visited to marketing campaign for Behn, and former Vice President Kamala Harris participated in a canvassing kickoff whereas in Nashville on a ebook tour. Former Vice President Al Gore and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez headlined a digital rally for her Monday.
Behn centered her marketing campaign on fiery criticisms of Trump administration financial insurance policies that she stated prioritize rich individuals and firms, together with Mr. Trump’s tariffs and price range and spending legislation, each of which Van Epps helps.
However Republicans created a gentle drumbeat of Behn’s personal phrases used towards her in tv promoting, equivalent to when she described herself as a “radical” and made harsh remarks about Nashville and its vacationer attracts.
