Republican Matt Van Epps won Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District Tuesday night, beating state Rep. Aftyn Behn, a progressive Nashville Democrat. Behn cut into the GOP’s margin from November of last year, when voters elected incumbent U.S. Rep. Mark Green by 22 percentage points .

Behn also rallied rare national attention to the race, which both parties considered a litmus test on Donald Trump’s rocky second term. A huge voter turnout in Davidson County gave Behn a boost, but last-minute campaign help from U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson and millions in Trump-aligned PAC spending helped carry Van Epps across the finish line.

Tennessee Republican Green resigned from the seat in July , just eight months after winning his third term, setting up Tuesday’s special election. Republican

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