Republicans work to defend a deep-red House district in expensive Tennessee special election

General elections for former Rep. Mark Green's congressional seat in Middle Tennessee have been sleepy, safely Republican affairs. But Tuesday’s special election for the district west of Nashville has turned into a more contested campaign, even though President Donald Trump carried it by 22 points in 2024.

General elections for former Rep. Mark Green's congressional seat in Middle Tennessee have been sleepy, safely Republican affairs. But Tuesday’s special election for the district west of Nashville has turned into a more contested campaign, even though President Donald Trump carried it by 22 points in 2024.

National party figures and big money are pouring into parts of Nashville and the counties to the south and west that make up the 7th Congressional District, which was represented by Green until the Republican resigned earlier this year. Trump joined GOP nominee Matt Van Epps for a tele-rally, while former Vice President Kamala Harris and Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin have canvassed with the Democrat, state Rep. Aftyn Behn.

Why Democrats are so focused on Tennessee’s 7th District special election01:46And the ad war between Van Epps and Behn has gotten more heated by the day, with about $6 million in candidate and super PAC spending, according to AdImpact. The leading super PAC in Trump’s political orbit and the main super PAC supporting House Democrats have both spent heavily.

Though the district leans heavily Republican, Democrats see a confluence of factors turning this race more competitive than usual, as the GOP faces a number of challenges. Trump’s approval rating has declined throughout the first year of his second term, while Democrats are energized after 2025 election wins last month.

A special election occurring the Tuesday after Thanksgiving may mean significantly lower turnout than a regularly scheduled election, though Trump and other Republicans are trying to galvanize the party base to show up. Democrats have outperformed the 2024 presidential results in special election contests throughout 2025.