JOHNSON and TRUMP try to avoid an upset House loss in Tennessee

Wednesday, December 3, 2025 -In Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District — a seat Republicans have long held — what should have been an easy win suddenly turned into a nail‑biter. 

The Republican nominee, Matt Van Epps, faced a surprisingly strong challenge from Democrat Aftyn Behn. The district is one that Trump carried by a large margin in the 2024 election, yet emerging polls showed a much tighter race this time.

Sensing danger, Johnson flew to Tennessee to rally support for Van Epps — and Trump made a dramatic phone call‑in appearance at the rally, putting his call on speakerphone and urging voters to back the Republican candidate. 

Trump emphasized that the election would send a message about the strength of the Republican Party. Republicans poured resources, campaign advertising, and high‑profile endorsements into Van Epps’s campaign as the outcome threatened to weaken the party’s narrow majority in the House.

The intensity of the effort — from national party leaders to president involvement — shows how seriously Republicans regarded the risk of losing what had been a “safe” seat. 

The stakes were high: a loss would have chipped away at the GOP’s slim hold on Congress. By mobilizing their base and leaning hard into last‑minute campaigning, Trump and Johnson sought to ensure that the seat remained under Republican control.