1 / 3

Copyright 2000 The Associated Press. All rights reserved

Republican candidate Matt Van Epps speaks at a watch party to declare victory in a special election for the U.S. seventh congressional district, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Republicans held onto a reliably conservative U.S. House district in Tennessee's special election , but only after a late burst of national spending and high-profile campaigning helped them secure a margin less than half of last year’s race.

Even with that victory, the outcome contributed to a gloomy outlook for the party going into the 2026 midterms that will determine control of Congress. Republicans will need to defend much more vulnerable seats if they have any hope of keeping their House majority, while Democrat

See Full Page