Poll shows Republican Van Epps holding slight lead over Democrat Behn in Tennessee's special congressional race
A poll ahead of the special election puts Van Epps narrowly ahead of Aftyn Behn.

SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYWSMV is a local news publisher, and the article has a named author and attributes its polling figures to a named polling organization. The article identifies the survey dates, collection method, and funders, though it provides limited detail for independently assessing the poll.
- Source type — A local news outlet; a credible regional source, though not a national outlet of record.
- Transparency — The article names the pollsters, survey dates, collection method, and funders.
- Author attribution — A named author is identified.
The article provides polling numbers, identifies the poll’s source, dates, collection method, and funders, and includes the polling director’s explanation of turnout differences. It gives no sample size or fuller account of the poll’s methodology, and it does not include comments from either campaign.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The poll results and turnout comparisons cover both leading candidates, and the article discloses who conducted and funded the survey. The story relies on one poll and does not include campaign responses or broader polling context.
- Counterarguments presented — The article gives polling figures for both leading candidates but does not include campaign responses.
- Source diversity — The reporting relies chiefly on one survey and its executive director.
- Transparency — The survey dates, method, and funders are identified.
The article reports polling results and election logistics in straightforward language, attributing the survey findings to Emerson College Polling/The Hill. It does not use discernibly partisan framing.
- Language tone — Descriptive, neutral wording without partisan labels or loaded language.
- Source selection — The polling results and interpretation are attributed to the polling organization.
- Framing — The article presents the poll as a snapshot of the race and discusses turnout differences for both candidates.
A poll ahead of Tennessee’s Dec. 2 special election shows Republican Matt Van Epps leading Democrat Aftyn Behn by 48% to 46%, with turnout likely to matter in the contest for the 7th District House seat.
An Emerson College Polling/The Hill survey found Van Epps at 48% and Behn at 46%; 2% said they planned to vote for one of three third-party candidates, and 5% were undecided. The poll’s executive director said early voters favored Behn, while voters planning to cast ballots on Election Day favored Van Epps. The survey was conducted Nov. 22–24 using text messages to reach likely voters.
The article says the economy was the most frequently named issue among voters surveyed, followed by housing affordability and healthcare, among other concerns. The special election is to fill the seat vacated by Mark Green; the article also reports that 84,356 people voted early.
Community verdict
VOTING CLOSEDNo good or bad look here
This story reports what happened without casting Van Epps in a good or bad light, so readers don’t rate it and it doesn’t count toward Van Epps’s record.
People in this story
SWIPE →Republican candidate in the special election for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District
Democratic candidate in the special election for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District
Behn's version of this story ↗Independent candidate listed in the 7th District special election
Former representative whose departure created the vacancy
President mentioned as one of those who urged Mark Green to reconsider retirement
Independent candidate listed in the 7th District special election
Part of a bigger story
8 OUTLETSOutlets agree that a poll found Democrat Aftyn Behn and Republican Matt Van Epps in a close race for Tennessee’s 7th District special election. Left-leaning outlets treat the closeness as a sign of Republican vulnerability and connect the race to Trump’s influence. Center outlets frame it as a test of Democratic momentum, with polling and turnout context. Right-leaning outlets stress a possible upset and implications for Republicans, while some also foreground criticism of Behn.
- ARTICLES
- 8
- OUTLETS
- 8
- AVG CRED
- 66
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