The 2025 Tennessee's 7th congressional district special election will be held on December 2, 2025, to fill the vacant seat in Tennessee's 7th congressional district. The deadline for entering the special election was on October 7, 2025. The winner will serve in the United States House of Representatives for the remainder of the 119th United States Congress, which will end on January 3, 2027. The seat became vacant on July 20, 2025, following the resignation of Republican Mark Green who took a private sector job. Green resigned after voting to help pass the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Primary elections took place on October 7, where Republican Matt Van Epps and Democrat Aftyn Behn won their respective primaries. The in-person early voting period ran from November 12 to November 26. == Background == The 7th congressional district is a mixed urban-rural district that includes parts of Nashville that are heavily Democratic, such as downtown, two universities, Belmont and Vanderbilt, and most of the city’s majority-black precincts. Surrounding counties, including Cheatham, Dickson, Robertson, and Williamson, are generally affluent and include mainly majority-white exurbs and suburbs. Franklin, in particular, is a wealthy Republican suburban stronghold. Montgomery County, anchored by Clarksville, Tennessee’s fifth-largest city, is politically mixed and slightly more competitive than the district overall. Clarksville is diverse, with White, Black, and Hispanic populations spread throughout the city, and the county often serves as a bellwether for the district. The district’s rural areas are overwhelmingly Republican, consisting of eight counties that are predominantly White, and this portion helps maintain the district’s strongly red character. In the 2024 presidential election, the district voted for Donald Trump by more than 22%. It also supported Mark Green in 2024 by over 21%. As of 2025, the district has a Cook PVI of R+10. == Republican primary == === Candidates === ==== Nominee ==== Matt Van Epps, former commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services (2024–2025) ==== Eliminated in primary ==== Jody Barrett, state representative from the 69th district (2023–present) Gino Bulso, state representative from the 61st district (2023–present) Stuart Cooper, businessman Adolph Dagan, teacher Mason Foley, former legislative correspondent for U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell Jason Knight, Montgomery County commissioner and candidate for Tennessee's 22nd Senate district in 2019 Joe Leurs, retired police officer Stewart Parks, realtor, participant in the January 6 Capitol attack, and candidate for the 5th district in 2022 Tres Wittum, legislative policy analyst, candidate for Tennessee's 5th congressional district in 2022 and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2024 ==== Withdrawn ==== Jay Reedy, state representative from the 74th district (2015–present) (endorsed Bulso) Jon Thorp, commercial helicopter pilot (running as an independent) Lee Reeves, state representative from the 65th district (2025–present) (endorsed Van Epps; remained on ballot) ==== Declined ==== Aron Maberry, state representative from the 68th district (2025–present) (endorsed Reeves) Brandon Ogles, former state representative from the 61st district (2019–2023), candidate for this district in 2024, and cousin of U.S. Representative Andy Ogles Bill Powers, state senator from the 22nd district (2019–present) === Endorsements === === Fundraising === Italics indicate a withdrawn candidate. === Polling === === Results === Matt Van Epps won twelve of the fourteen counties, while Jody Barrett won the two counties he represents in the Tennessee State House, Dickson and Hickman. == Democratic primary == === Candidates === ==== Nominee ==== Aftyn Behn, state representative from the 51st district (2023–present) ==== Eliminated in primary ==== Darden Copeland, consultant Vincent Dixie, state representative from the 54th district (2019–present) Bo Mitchell, state representative from the 50th district (2013–present) ==== Declined ==== Charlane Oliver, state senator from the 19th district (2023–present) Megan Barry, former mayor of Nashville (2015–2018) and nominee for this district in 2024 === Endorsements === === Fundraising === === Results === Aftyn Behn narrowly won, carrying only one county, Williamson County, by a slim margin. However, she performed well in the more populous Montgomery and Davidson counties, which helped secure her victory. Darden Copeland and Bo Mitchell each carried six counties, while Vincent Dixie won Davidson. == Independents == === Candidates === ==== Declared ==== Terri Christie, boat captain Bobby Dodge Robert James Sutherby Jon Thorp, commercial helicopter pilot (previously ran as a Republican) === Fundraising === == General election == === Predictions === === Post-primary endorsements === === Polling === === Results === ==== By county ==== == See also == 2025 United States elections 2025 United States House of Representatives elections List of special elections to the United States House of Representatives List of United States representatives from Tennessee 119th United States Congress == Notes == Partisan clients == References == == External links == Official campaign websites Aftyn Behn (D) for Congress Terri Christie (I) for Congress Jon Thorp (I) for Congress Matt Van Epps (R) for Congress