Tennessee special election shows power of partisan gerrymandering as Trump pushes for more
The article connects Trump’s push for mid-decade redistricting to map changes being pursued in several states.

SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYCredibility rates Fox17, which republished this story. The other scores rate the article itself.
The story is credited to Associated Press reporters, a major wire service with established reporting and editorial standards. The local station’s page identifies the AP byline, though it provides little additional information about its own editing or corrections practices.
- Source type — The article is by Associated Press, a major wire service with a strong record of original reporting.
- Author attribution — Two reporters are named and the Associated Press affiliation is explicit.
- Transparency — The page identifies its wire-service source, but offers limited information here about editorial and corrections practices.
The article uses named voters, an academic expert and a state lawmaker, and includes election margins and descriptions of specific maps. It gives substantial attention to concerns about partisan mapmaking but little direct explanation from the lawmakers drawing or supporting the maps.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The article includes multiple voices and acknowledges mapmaking by both parties, but gives little space to the reasoning of Republican officials who drew or support the maps. Most quoted perspectives emphasize the maps’ harms or political effects.
- Source diversity — Voters, an academic and a state lawmaker offer distinct perspectives, but map proponents are not quoted.
- Counterarguments presented — The article notes that Democrats also redrew maps, but does not present detailed arguments from officials who backed the maps.
- Loaded language — Some descriptions of gerrymandering are critical, though much of the story attributes concerns to voters and experts.
The report uses critical language about gerrymandering and emphasizes its effects on voters, while also noting Democratic mapmaking and similar actions by both parties. Its overall presentation is close to straight reporting, with a slight tilt toward criticism of partisan redistricting.
- Language tone — Terms such as “manipulative mapmaking” and descriptions of voters’ voices being taken away give the framing a mildly critical tone.
- Framing — The special-election result is used to illustrate how district maps can preserve partisan advantage.
- Source selection — The story features voters and experts critical of the maps, but also reports that Democrats have pursued their own gerrymandering.
Republished with credit
Republished from Newschannel9, with credit to the original publisher.
16 stories · 69–73 · updated Oct 12, 2026
This is Newschannel9's own score, and this article is credited to Newschannel9. The host score in the Source Check is Fox17's.
Republican Matt Van Epps won Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District special election by 9 percentage points, in a race the article presents as illustrating how partisan district maps can shape election outcomes. It also describes redistricting efforts in several states, including a proposal that could divide Indianapolis and affect Rep. André Carson’s district.
Van Epps defeated Democrat Aftyn Behn in the special election, narrowing the margin from the district’s previous election but winning in a district redrawn to favor Republicans. The article says Nashville was divided among three GOP-leaning districts after the 2020 census and reports that the resulting maps remain a source of frustration for some voters.
The article describes new or proposed congressional maps in Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, California and Indiana amid a mid-decade redistricting push initiated by President Donald Trump. In Indiana, a proposal would divide Indianapolis among Republican-leaning districts, including a redrawn district represented by André Carson; state Rep. Robin Shackleford criticized the proposal at a public hearing, while a political scientist said the revised districts could weaken both urban and rural communities’ representation.
Community verdict
27 VOTESCounts every outlet’s report of this story. See all 11
Votes cast on this page
Votes cast on this page: ▲ 12 · ◆ 5 · ▼ 10
People in this story
SWIPE →President whose push for mid-decade redistricting is described as an impetus for map changes
Democratic candidate in the Tennessee 7th District special election
Behn's version of this story ↗Republican winner of the Tennessee 7th District special election
Van Epps's version of this story ↗Democratic representative whose Indianapolis district could be reshaped under an Indiana proposal
Former Democratic representative whose Nashville district was redrawn
Part of a bigger story
11 OUTLETSMatt Van Epps defeated Aftyn Behn in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District special election, and Donald Trump campaigned for Van Epps. Left-leaning outlets frame the close contest as a test of Republican strength and Trump’s influence. Center outlets report the win and Trump’s support, with several also stressing the closer-than-expected margin and its possible implications for Republicans. Right-leaning outlets emphasize Van Epps’s victory and Trump’s role in rallying Republicans, with one celebrating the result.
- ARTICLES
- 11
- OUTLETS
- 11
- AVG CRED
- 68
- Yahoo News · Is a blue wave headed for Trump, GOP? Tennessee sends 'warning signs'
- The Independent · Trump brags about 'big win' for Van Epps despite ominous GOP warning signs after 'AOC of Tennessee' makes it close
- The Dallas Morning News · GOP staves off Democratic upset during special U.S. House election in Tennessee
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