The final special election of 2025 for Congress has wrapped up, with Decision Desk HQ declaring Republican Matt Van Epps the winner in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District. With 71 percent of the votes tallied, Van Epps secured 53.3 percent, while his Democratic opponent, Aftyn Behn, received 45.6 percent. Van Epps will now complete the term of former Representative Mark Green, who stepped down earlier this year to pursue a career in the private sector.

Van Epps, whose background includes serving as a U.S. Marine and as the commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services, approached the general election on Tuesday with optimism. He told reporters, “We led in early voting, and our focus remains on pushing forward to secure today’s win.”

On the other side, Behn, a state representative known for her progressive policies and dubbed “The AOC of Tennessee,” also expressed confidence as the election unfolded. She stated, “We’ve already won the hearts and minds of countless Tennesseans and supporters nationwide. What begins here has the power to change the nation.” She further added, “I believe the electorate is evolving to embrace candidates like me, who have a proven progressive record.”

— Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ) December 3, 2025

Van Epps, a retired U.S. Marine and former commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services, went into Tuesday’s general election with a sense of confidence, telling the media, “We were up in early voting, and we’re just going to keep pressing forward to win today.”

Behn is a sitting state representative who has earned the nickname “The AOC of Tennessee” for her support of far-left policies. She, too, started Tuesday with an air of confidence. “For me, we’ve already won over the hearts and minds of so many Tennesseans and across the country,” she remarked. “What starts here changes this country.” Behn added, “I think the electorate is shifting to accept a candidate like me that has a progressive track record.”