Trump-endorsed Matt Van Epps wins GOP primary for vacant House seat in Tennessee

Matt Van Epps, a former state official who earned an endorsement from President Donald Trump last week, won the Republican nomination Tuesday in the special election for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District House seat, NBC News projects

Matt Van Epps, a former state official who earned an endorsement from President Donald Trump last week, won the Republican nomination Tuesday in the special election for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District House seat, NBC News projects.

Van Epps bested 10 other Republican candidates after a primary in which all of them campaigned on their support for Trump. But Van Epps was the only one to get Trump’s backing, adding it to early endorsements from former Rep. Mark Green — the Republican who resigned from the 7th District this year — as well as Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio.

Van Epps now advances to the special general election for the district, which Trump carried with more than 60% of the vote last year. The 7th District ranges from the two of the richest counties in Tennessee to some of its poorest, including an Army base and part of Nashville. It has been solidly Republican for decades.

State Rep. Aftyn Behn, a community organizer and licensed social worker, won the Democratic primary in a close contest against two other state lawmakers and a businessman. She represents a deep-blue seat including downtown and east Nashville.

Democrats hope to compete in the heavily Republican seat during the special general election on Dec. 2, which is likely to see lower voter turnout than a regular election.