House Speaker Mike Johnson takes questions from reporters alongside District 7 Republican nominee Matt Van Epps at billionaire Willis Johnson's car barn in Franklin, Tennessee on Dec. 1.
Rep. Aftyn Behn D-Nashville and Former Republican state representative, Scotty Campbell speak to member of the press at Cordell Hull State Office Building in Nashville , Tenn., Tuesday, March 12, 2024.
Democrat Aftyn Behn (L) and Republican Matt Van Epps (R).

WASHINGTON ‒ President Donald Trump told Tennesseans "the whole world is watching" as Republicans work to avert a disaster in the Dec. 2 special election for Tennessee's 7th congressional district.

Trump, speaking through a cellphone held by House Speaker Mike Johnson, urged Tennesseans on the eve of the election to vote for Republican nominee Matt Van Epps in the race against Democrat Aftyn Behn, which has suddenly garnered national spotlight for being surprisingly close.

Johnson was in Franklin, Tennessee, where he joined Van Epps and top Tennessee Republicans in a final push to try to stop Democrats from pulling off an upset.

"Remember, he's got a majority of three, and there aren't a lot of people who can do that," Trump said on Dec. 1, referring to the speaker's slim Republican majority in the House. "We we have to win this seat."

Signaling a potential blue wave in the 2026 midterm elections, Behn and Van Epps are locked in a tight race in a district that Trump carried by 22 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election. A poll from Emerson College Polling/The Hill found Van Epps leading by only 2 percentage points, 48% to 46%, within the survey's margin of error.

Behn, a Democratic state representative, is a former community organizer and progressive activist. Van Epps, a combat veteran, previously led the Tennessee Department of General Services. The winner will replace former Republican Rep. Mark Green of Tennessee, who retired to take a job in the private sector.

Even if Behn doesn't win the race ‒ something that would have been unthinkable a few weeks ago ‒ a defeat by single-digits could signal major trouble for Republicans.

"Matt Van Epps ‒ he's a winner, he's going to be great," Trump said, later falsely accusing Behn of hating Christianity and country music. "How the hell can you elect a person like that?" the president said.

Republicans have spent the final days of the campaign pumping significant dollars into the race to paint Behn as a "far-left lunatic."

Trump said he plans to hold a tele-town hall for Van Epps in the evening.

"Tomorrow morning, get out and vote," Trump said. "Let's make it a sweeping victory. The whole world is watching Tennessee right now and they're watching your district. The whole world. It's a big vote. It's going to show something, and it's going to show that the Republican Party is stronger than it's ever been."

The Democratic National Committee fired back at Republicans' push in the special election.

"Win or lose, Republicans have been forced to spend millions, deploy resources, and pull out all of the stops to try to save a seat in a district that Trump won by 22 points," DNC Deputy Communications Director Abhi Rahman said in a statement.

Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump says 'whole world is watching' Tennessee race as GOP works to avert disaster

Reporting by Joey Garrison, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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