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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Republicans will hold onto a GOP-controlled vacant congressional seat in ruby-red Tennessee after winning a hotly contested special election that grabbed plenty of national attention.

Republican nominee Matt Van Epps on Tuesday defeated Democratic rival Aftyn Behn, according to the Associated Press, in the high-stakes race to succeed former GOP Rep. Mark Green, who resigned from office in June to take a private sector job.

“This race was bigger than just one campaign,”Van Epps said in a statement after declaring victory. “It represented a defining moment for Tennessee and for the direction of the country.”

With the GOP clinging to a razor-thin majority in the House, the special election was seen as a must-win for Republican

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