The final day before Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District special election will feature an unusual level of national involvement, with both campaigns holding dueling tele-rallies to turn out their voters on Tuesday.
Republican nominee Matt Van Epps will headline a tele-rally Monday evening with President Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson. It will be Trump’s third tele-rally for Van Epps this cycle, following one before the primary and another earlier in November.
Democrat Aftyn Behn will appear in a separate virtual event with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, former Vice President Al Gore and Rep. Pramila Jayapal, focused on energizing younger voters and progressive supporters.
Democrats are encouraged by last week’s Emerson College poll showing Behn trailing by only two points. National Democrats also see the race as part of a broader pattern after recent party wins in Virginia, New Jersey and New York City, and they hope that momentum carries into Tuesday’s special election.
Republicans, concerned by the Emerson poll and a Baker Group Strategies memo projecting early voting at a 46–40 Republican advantage, are working to rally their base to protect what is normally a solid Republican seat.
Behn will need strong turnout from the Democratic base in Davidson and Montgomery counties to offset the high GOP advantage across the rural counties in the district. Van Epps, by contrast, only needs typical Republican turnout across the other 12 counties to win on Election Day.
Tele-rallies with this level of national backing are uncommon in a district this reliably Republican, but the mix of timing, polling and outside attention has elevated a normally low-profile congressional election. Polls open at 7 a.m. on Tuesday.
