The Republican and Democratic contenders for Tennessee’s 7th District are locked in a dead heat, according to a new poll—an unexpected shift in a seat President Donald Trump won by 22 points in 2024.
An Emerson College/The Hill survey released on the final day of in-person early voting shows Republican Matt Van Epps leading Democrat Aftyn Behn 48 percent to 46 percent among likely voters, with 5 percent undecided and 2 percent backing third-party candidates. The poll has a margin of error of 3.9 percentage points. When leaning voters are included, the gap narrows to 49–47 percent, underscoring a dramatic tightening in a district long considered a GOP stronghold.
The special election is set for December 2.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.