Republican candidate Matt Van Epps won a contested special election for the US House in Tennessee on Tuesday, December 2nd. The Republican, backed by US President Donald Trump, was in a hotly contested race for a congressional seat. To represent the 7th Congressional District, he defeated Democratic candidate Aftyn Behn.
Matt Van Epps was a military veteran and also served as Nashville’s Civil Service Commissioner. During his victory speech, he said, “Politicians who run away from the president or abandon the common-sense policies that the American people gave us a loud mandate to do so do so at their own peril,” the AP reported.
He said he was proud to be a part of Donald Trump, he added. “No matter what DC insiders or the liberal media say, this is President Trump’s party. I’m proud to be a part of it and can’t wait to get to work.”
Matt Van Epps, a lieutenant colonel in the Tennessee Army National Guard, once expressed his desire to remain in the state guard if elected. A former active-duty Army fighter pilot, the winner of the Tennessee election was on active duty in the State Guard for ten years and has been in the Guard for another eight years.
Earlier in an interview with NBC, Matt Van Epps claimed he wanted to continue Mark Green’s work in Congress while emphasizing his work with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
