Skip to main content
3 min read
● InformationalElections / Campaigns

Trump says 'whole world is watching' Tennessee race as GOP works to avert disaster

Van Epps is the Republican nominee Trump urged voters to elect in a closely watched special election.

Trump says 'whole world is watching' Tennessee race as GOP works to avert disaster
Image · Yahoo News

SOURCE CHECK

TAP FOR WHY
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
Dec 2, 2025
tl;dr

President Donald Trump urged Tennesseans to elect Republican Matt Van Epps in a closely watched special election against Democrat Aftyn Behn. A poll showed Van Epps ahead by two points, within the margin of error, in a district Trump carried by 22 points in 2024.

Community verdict

VOTING CLOSED
How does this story look for
Matt Van Epps R · TN-7
NOT RATEDCLOSED

No 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.

● INFORMATIONAL

People in this story

SWIPE →
Matt Van Epps
R · TN-7

Republican nominee in Tennessee's 7th District special election

PRIMARY SUBJECT
Aftyn Behn
D · TN

Democratic candidate in Tennessee's 7th District special election

Behn's version of this story ↗
Donald Trump
R · President of the United States

President campaigning for Van Epps

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

Former Republican representative whose seat is being contested

Mike Johnson
R · LA-4

House Speaker who joined Van Epps's campaign push

ALSO MENTIONED  Abhi Rahman, DNC deputy communications director who criticized the Republican campaign effort

Part of a bigger story

7 OUTLETS
Trump Urges Support for Matt Van Epps Ahead of Tennessee Special Election

Outlets agree that President Donald Trump urged Tennessee voters to support Republican Matt Van Epps before the special House election. Center outlets frame the race as competitive and politically consequential, with several including responses from Democrats or Behn. Right-leaning outlets center Trump's endorsement and turnout appeal, with some also foregrounding his attacks on Behn.

Discussion · 0

What's your take?

Loading comments…