From Axios: Early voting is underway in the District 7 U.S. House race, which has taken on national political interest as Democrats grapple for control of Congress.
Why it matters: The race pits two ascending politicians against one another: Republican nominee Matt Van Epps, a President Trump-backed war veteran, and Aftyn Behn, a progressive grassroots organizer turned state representative.
The big picture: Democrats have some wind in their sails following impressive election victories earlier this month stretching from Georgia to New York. Republicans hold a modest six-seat advantage in the House.
The upcoming special election in Tennessee is due to the surprise retirement of Republican Rep. Mark Greene in July of this year.
Green had defeated former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry in 2024 by 21.5 points, but Democrats are now trying to flip the seat, and recent polls show Van Epps is only up by about 9 points.
The election will be held on December 2, but early voting just started on Wednesday of this week.
EARLY VOTING HAS BEGUN! 🗳️
Cast your vote today for Matt Van Epps! 🇺🇸#MattforTN #TN07 #VoteVanEpps pic.twitter.com/PeGbl5mlNR— Matt Van Epps for Congress (@MattForTN) November 12, 2025
Early voting starts TODAY in TN-7! 🗳️
Skip the line, keep Tennessee red, and vote early for @MattforTN!
Find your polling place 👉 https://t.co/5Hedf57zbC pic.twitter.com/ApJ51TqI7U
— Marsha Blackburn (@VoteMarsha) November 12, 2025
Meanwhile, on the Democrat side, the report explains that “Behn cut her teeth as an organizer, working on issues such as health care and gun reform.”
A progressive, she unseated the “establishment” Democrat Rep. to win a Tennessee state House seat in 2023, and declared last month that if elected to U.S. Congress, she will not support House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries as speaker.
Van Epps warned, “Aftyn Behn praised Mamdani and said she was running on the same agenda. She’d be even more radical than him if she made it to Congress. Tennessee won’t go the way of New York — we’ll reject Aftyn and her Mamdani agenda on December 2nd.”
Aftyn Behn praised Mamdani and said she was running on the same agenda. She’d be even more radical than him if she made it to Congress. Tennessee won’t go the way of New York — we’ll reject Aftyn and her Mamdani agenda on December 2nd.#MattforTN #TN07 pic.twitter.com/FxA4Mp8fi5
— Matt Van Epps for Congress (@MattForTN) November 5, 2025
POLLS ARE OPEN! 🗳️
Early voting has started for the TN-7 special congressional election in Tennessee! 😍
Check to see if you live in TN-7👇🏻https://t.co/iku36KjYXP
Check early voting locations👇🏻https://t.co/8BwOahjYnx pic.twitter.com/8Xp0tAsg7Y
— Aftyn Behn for Congress (@aftynfortn) November 12, 2025
Van Epps released a campaign ad last month, warning voters that Behn is a “woke liberal.”
Meet Aftyn Behn, a woke radical who thinks it’s a “win” to harass and bully police. When she wins, we lose.
Vote December 2nd to stop woke radical Aftyn Behn.#MattforTN #TN07 #AmericaFirst pic.twitter.com/5J4f1P14Pn
— Matt Van Epps for Congress (@MattForTN) October 29, 2025
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