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● InformationalElections / Campaigns

Tennessee congressional race becomes unlikely test of blue wave

Behn is the Democratic candidate in a special election receiving national attention as a possible sign of midterm momentum.

Tennessee congressional race becomes unlikely test of blue wave
Image · Yahoo News

SOURCE CHECK

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Host credibilityYahoo News74/100 HIGH
This article1 analysis · Oct 12, 2026

Credibility rates Yahoo News, which republished this story. The other scores rate the article itself.

Republished with credit

Republished from USA Today, with credit to the original publisher.

USA Today80/100 HIGH

21 stories · 79–81 · updated Oct 11, 2026

This is USA Today's own score, and this article is credited to USA Today. The host score in the Source Check is Yahoo News's.

Yahoo Newsvia USA Today
Nov 30, 2025
tl;dr

A special election for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District has drawn national attention as a possible indicator of Democratic momentum before the 2026 midterms. Democrat Aftyn Behn and Republican Matt Van Epps are competing in a district Republicans have usually carried comfortably.

Community verdict

VOTING CLOSED
How does this story look for
Aftyn Behn D · TN
NOT RATEDCLOSED

No good or bad look here

This story reports what happened without casting Behn in a good or bad light, so readers don’t rate it and it doesn’t count toward Behn’s record.

● INFORMATIONAL

People in this story

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Aftyn Behn
D · TN

Democratic candidate in the Tennessee 7th Congressional District special election

PRIMARY SUBJECT
Matt Van Epps
R · TN-7

Republican candidate in the Tennessee 7th Congressional District special election

Van Epps's version of this story ↗
Mark E. Green
Former U.S. Representative (R-TN)

Former representative whose retirement left the seat vacant

Abigail Davis Spanberger
Former U.S. Representative (D-VA)

Virginia governor-elect mentioned as a comparison to Behn

Mike Johnson
R · LA-4

Speaker of the House who planned to campaign for Van Epps

Donald Trump
R · President of the United States

President who campaigned for Van Epps and whose political standing is discussed

Mikie Sherrill
Former U.S. Representative (D-NJ)

New Jersey governor-elect mentioned as a comparison to Behn

Kamala Harris
Former U.S. Senator (D-CA)

Former vice president who campaigned for Behn

ALSO MENTIONED  Bill Lee, Tennessee governor whose office Behn and others occupied during a 2019 protest; Jane Kleeb, Democratic National Committee vice chair who campaigned for Behn and discussed the race; Ken Martin, Democratic National Committee chair who appeared with Behn at a campaign event

Part of a bigger story

13 OUTLETS
Aftyn Behn’s Bid for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District

Outlets agree Aftyn Behn and Republican Matt Van Epps competed in the Dec. 2 special election for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District, with Behn as the Democratic candidate. Left-leaning outlets present Behn’s close polling as a possible upset. Center outlets treat the race mainly as a preview, with some presenting it as a test of Democratic momentum before 2026. Right-leaning outlets emphasize Behn’s past remarks, positions, or allies, with some also urging Republican turnout.

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