Republicans are claiming victory in Tennessee’s special election, the final contest of the year, but analysts say it is the latest indication that the GOP faces a rough road ahead to maintain its razor-thin majority in the House during 2026.

Rep. Matt Van Epps was sworn in by House Speaker Mike Johnson on the House floor Thursday morning after winning a special election on Tuesday.

Republican Matt Van Epps has won a special election in Tennessee for a seat in the U.S. House. Van Epps was backed by President Donald Trump.

Matt Van Epps, who was backed by Trump, is projected to defeat Democrat Aftyn Behn in a congressional district the president won by 22 percentage points in 2024.

Republican candidate Matt Van Epps is likely to win the special election in Tennessee, according to the latest polls and betting odds. Vann Epps is standing against Aftyn Behn, a Democratic state legislator, to fill a seat left vacant by former Representative Mark Greene, who resigned from the House earlier this year.

This number is an estimate and is based on several different factors, including information on the number of votes cast early as well as information provided to our vote reporters on Election Day from county election officials.

Democrat Aftyn Behn is already teasing another Congressional run after losing in Tuesday's special election for Tennessee's 7th congressional district to Republican Matt Van Epps. Speaking on CNN, Behn said that she was planning to call her rival to congratulate him,

Both parties found reasons to celebrate the Tennessee special election, in which Republican Matt Van Epps prevailed over Democrat Aftyn Behn.

Republican Matt Van Epps, a military veteran and former state general services commissioner, defeated Democratic state Rep. Aftyn Behn by 9 percentage points on Tuesday for the seat vacated by Republican Mark Green, who retired over the summer. Green had won reelection in 2024 by 21 percentage points.