Republicans have held onto a crucial Tennessee congressional seat — but the race was far tighter than anyone expected.
And that has many in the GOP quietly sweating.
With all votes counted, Republican Matt Van Epps is projected to beat Democrat Aftyn Behn by about nine points.
In deep-red Tennessee, that margin is barely half of what Republicans won by in 2024.
As Senator Ted Cruz bluntly put it, “It was dangerous.”
Why all the fuss? This wasn’t just a local election — it was a national test. Could Democrats make inroads ahead of next year’s midterms?
And just how strong is Donald Trump’s appeal heading into his second term?
Narrow Race Signals Shifts
Van Epps, a military veteran who tied himself tightly to Trump, believes the results send a clear message: “Running from Trump is how you lose.
Running with Trump is how you win.” Trump celebrated the win online, claiming Democrats “threw everything at him.”
But Democrats see something different. Behn called the close race proof that “states like Tennessee are still worth fighting for.”
She noted the surge of volunteers who helped shrink the usual Republican lead.
Some GOP insiders privately admit the narrow win is worrying. One strategist told Politico the outcome was simply “too close.”
If this race is any preview of 2026, both parties might be asking the same question: whose voters will actually show up when it counts?
