Dems fall short of flipping deep-red House seat in surprisingly competitive Tennessee special election

Republican Matt Van Epps won a Tennessee House special election on Tuesday, but Democrat Aftyn Behn significantly cut into GOP margins in the district, continuing a streak of overperformances this year.

National outside groups poured millions into the race, as Republicans grew concerned about a potential upset.

President Donald Trump carried the district by 22 points last fall, but voters’ dissatisfaction with cost of living helped Behn trim that margin.