Trump-backed Republican Matt Van Epps wins US House special election in Tennessee

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Republican Matt Van Epps won a nationally watched special election in Tennessee for a U.S. House seat Tuesday, maintaining his party’s grip on the conservative district with help from President Donald Trump. But the comparatively slim margin of victory fueled Democratic hopes for next year’s midterms as the party grasps for a path back to power in Washington.

A military veteran and former state general services commissioner from Nashville, Van Epps defeated Democratic state Rep. Aftyn Behn to represent the 7th Congressional District.

With 99% of votes counted, Van Epps’ lead was around 9 percentage points. The previous Republican who held the seat won by 21 points last year, and Trump carried the district by 22 points.

Behn, who ran as an unapologetic progressive, ran up a huge margin in Davidson County, which is the most Democratic county in the district and home to Nashville. But Van Epps carried the rest of the district, including many deep-red counties throughout central Tennessee, as he tied himself tightly to Trump.

“Politicians who run from the president or abandon the common-sense policies that the American people gave us a resounding mandate on do so at their own peril,” Van Epps said at his victory party. “No matter what the D.C. insiders or 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.”

Trump congratulated Van Epps in a social media post, saying he won even though “the Radical Left Democrats threw everything at him.”

At her own campaign gathering, Behn took the stage with a burst of energy, singing Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” in a western-style rhinestoned suit. Despite falling short, Behn said the result was “the beginning of something” powerful.

She noted that Republicans redrew the district three years ago to make it harder for Democrats to win, and “nobody in Washington believed we could get even this close.”

“Tonight isn’t the end. It is the beginning of a next chapter of Tennessee and American politics — one of possibility, one of power and one of progress for the people that we love,” Behn said.

Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said Republicans should be “shaking in their boots” ahead of the midterms, which will determine control of Congress.

“What happened tonight in Tennessee makes it clear: Democrats are on offense and Republicans are on the ropes,” Martin said in a statement.

Van Epps benefited from nearly $1.7 million in spending from MAGA Inc., according to a memo from the Trump-aligned group, with nearly half going toward digital advertising targeting people streaming video online. It was the first time the organization spent money on a campaign since last year’s presidential race, a reflection of the special election’s outsize importance.

House Speaker Mike Johnson and national Republican chair Joe Gruters rallied supporters in Tennessee on Monday. Trump addressed a crowd at a rally in the state by phone and later in the day held a tele-rally for Van Epps, his second of the general election.

Chip Saltsman, a political strategist and former Tennessee state party chair, said Republicans were slow to organize after a competitive primary.

“In Tennessee, it’s been a long time since we thought about beating Democrats,” Saltsman said. “It’s been a lot more important to beat Republicans in a primary.”

“This time,” he added, “we had to pay attention.”

Republican leaders had hoped for a convincing victory to scuttle Democratic claims that even red districts are now in play as Trump struggles with low approval ratings and persistent economic dissatisfaction. In addition, Democrats recently won by wide margins in New Jersey, Virginia and elsewhere.

Behn had national support of her own, and the House Majority PAC put $1 million behind her. Party chair Ken Martin visited to campaign for Behn, and former Vice President Kamala Harris participated in a canvassing kickoff while in Nashville on a book tour. Former Vice President Al Gore and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez headlined a virtual rally for her Monday night.

Republican state lawmakers redrew the 7th District and two others in 2022 to help prevent liberal-voting Nashville from electing another Democrat to Congress. Only about 1 in 5 voters in the district, which spans 14 counties, are in the city.

The seat was vacated when Republican former Rep. Mark Green, retired this summer. The single-race election came at an odd time to be casting ballots, with early voting ending the day before Thanksgiving and Election Day the following Tuesday.

Van Epps aligned with the president as closely as possible, telling him during the November tele-rally, “I will have your back 100%.” He won a crowded primary by a wide margin in October with a late endorsement from Trump.

Behn focused her campaign on fiery criticisms of economic policies that she said prioritize wealthy people and corporations, including Trump’s tariffs and budget and spending law, both of which Van Epps supports.

But Republicans created a steady drumbeat of Behn’s own words used against her in television advertising, such as when she described herself as a “radical” and made harsh remarks about Nashville and its tourist draws.

Trump supporter Anthony Bordonaro, 37, said Tuesday that he wants the president’s policies to move forward but pointed to those anti-Nashville comments as extra motivation to vote for Van Epps.

“I just didn’t really like what I was hearing about the other candidate not liking Nashville,” he said.

Associated Press writers Travis Loller in Nashville and Meg Kinnard, in Columbia, South Carolina, contributed.

Republican candidate Matt Van Epps comes out with wife Meg Van Epps, left, at a watch party to announce victory in a special election for the U.S. seventh congressional district, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Republican candidate Matt Van Epps interacts with supporters at a watch party after announcing victory in a special election for the U.S. seventh congressional district, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Democratic candidate State Rep. Aftyn Behn, D-Nashville, center right, hugs Zulfat Suara, center left, after losing a special election for the U.S. seventh congressional district Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Republican candidate Matt Van Epps waves to supporters at a watch party after announcing victory in a special election for the U.S. seventh congressional district, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Republican candidate Matt Van Epps speaks to supporters at a watch party after announcing victory in a special election for the U.S. seventh congressional district, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Cindy Perry, left, and Perry Keenan celebrate a county being called during an election night watch party for Republican candidate Matt Van Epps who is running in a special election for U.S. seventh congressional district seat, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Carson Baddeley and other supporters gather for an election night watch party for Republican candidate Matt Van Epps who is running in a special election for U.S. seventh congressional district seat, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Supporters of Democratic candidate Aftyn Behn watch results at an election night party for the special election of the U.S. seventh congressional district, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Republican U.S Congressional candidate for the seventh district Matt Van Epps goes to shake hands as he comes out to applause during a rally Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, in Franklin, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Republican U.S Congressional candidate for the seventh district Matt Van Epps addresses the media as he stands next to U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson during a rally Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, in Franklin, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

FILE - This combination image shows Aftyn Behn, left, Nov. 13, 2025, Nashville, Tenn. and Matt Van Epps, Nov. 12, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, file)

LONDON (AP) — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met French, German and British leaders in London on Monday amid what Kyiv’s European allies described as a “decisive time” in the U.S.-led effort to end Russia's war in Ukraine.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer held talks with Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the British leader’s 10 Downing St. residence to try to strengthen Ukraine’s hand.

In an exchange with reporters on Sunday night, U.S. President Donald Trump appeared frustrated with Zelenskyy, claiming the Ukrainian leader “hasn’t yet read the proposal.”

“Russia is, I believe, fine with it, but I’m not sure that Zelenskyy’s fine with it,” Trump said in Washington. “His people love it, but he hasn’t read it.”

It’s not clear why Trump thought Zelenskyy hadn’t read the plan or who he was saying loved it. Ukrainian officials have made sparing comments about it and few details of the negotiations have been made public.

Starmer, Macron and Merz took a more supportive stance toward Kyiv in comments before their Monday meeting. The U.K. leader said the push for peace was at a “critical stage,” and stressed the need for "a just and lasting ceasefire.”

Merz, meanwhile, said he was “skeptical” about some details in documents released by the U.S. “We have to talk about it. That’s why we are here,” he said. “The coming days … could be a decisive time for all of us."

Zelenskyy said late Sunday that his talks with European leaders this week in London and Brussels will focus on security, air defense and long-term funding for Ukraine’s war effort. The leaders are working to ensure that any ceasefire is backed by solid security guarantees both from Europe and the U.S. to deter Russia from attacking again.

U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators completed three days of talks on Saturday aimed at trying to narrow differences on the U.S. administration’s peace proposal.

Zelenskyy said in a post on Telegram that talks had been “substantive” and that National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov and Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov were traveling back to Europe to brief him.

A major sticking point in the plan is the suggestion that Kyiv must cede control of the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine to Russia, which illegally occupies most but not all of the territory. Ukraine and its European allies have balked at the idea of handing over land.

Starmer said he “won’t be putting pressure” on Zelenskyy to accept a peace settlement.

“The most important thing is to ensure that if there is a cessation of hostilities, and I hope there is, it has to be just and it has to be lasting, which is what we will be focused on this afternoon,” he told broadcaster ITV.

Trump has had a hot-and-cold relationship with Zelenskyy since winning a second term, insisting the war was a waste of U.S. taxpayers’ money. Trump has also repeatedly urged the Ukrainians to cede land to Russia to end the nearly four-year conflict.

The European talks follow the publication of a new U.S. national security strategy that alarmed European leaders and was welcomed by Russia.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the document, which spells out the administration’s core foreign policy interests, was largely in line with Moscow’s vision.

“The nuances that we see in the new concept certainly look appealing to us,” he said Monday. “It mentions the need for dialogue and building constructive, friendly relations. This cannot but appeal to us, and it absolutely corresponds to our vision. We understand that by eliminating the irritants that currently exist in bilateral relations, a prospect may open for us to truly restore our relations and bring them out of the rather deep crisis.”

The document released Friday by the White House said the U.S. wants to improve its relationship with Russia after years of Moscow being treated as a global pariah and that ending the war is a core U.S. interest to “reestablish strategic stability with Russia.”

The document also says NATO must not be “a perpetually expanding alliance,” echoing another complaint by Russia. It was scathing about the migration and free speech policies of longstanding U.S. allies in Europe, suggesting they face the “prospect of civilizational erasure” due to migration.

Starmer’s government has declined to comment on the document, saying it is a matter for the U.S. government.

Russia continued to attack Ukraine amid the diplomatic efforts.

Russian drones struck high-rise apartments in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Okhtyrka overnight, injuring seven people, according to the head of the regional administration, Oleh Hryhorov. He said the building was extensively damaged.

In the northern city of Chernihiv, a Russian drone exploded outside a residential building, injuring three people, regional head Viacheslav Chaus said. The attack also damaged a kindergarten, gas lines and cars.

Ukraine’s air force said Russia fired 149 drones at the country overnight, with 131 neutralized and 16 others striking their targets.

Meanwhile, Russian air defenses destroyed 67 Ukrainian drones overnight, Russia’s Defense Ministry said. The drones were shot down over 11 Russian regions, it said.

Novikov reported from Kyiv, Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attends meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and French President Emmanuel Macron at 10 Downing Street, in London, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. (Toby Melville/Pool Photo via AP)

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer greets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on the doorstep of 10 Downing Street, London, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, Larry the cat, Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office walks past. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

From left, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron meet at 10 Downing Street, in London, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. (Toby Melville/Pool Photo via AP)

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gestures while speaking as he takes part in a joint news conference with the Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin in Dublin, Ireland, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

FILE - French President Emmanuel Macron, right, welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on Dec. 1, 2025 before a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File)

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Services on Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, a rescue worker puts out a fire of a residential building damaged by a Russian strike in Sumy region, Ukraine. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Services on Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, a rescue worker puts out a fire of a car in front of a residential building damaged by a Russian strike in Sumy region, Ukraine. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)