Matt Van Epps will find out his fate on Tuesday after President Donald Trump's eleventh-hour endorsement in the primary for Tennessee's 7th Congressional District, Fox News reported. The election followed the resignation of Republican Rep. Park Green, who vacated the seat to take a job in the private sector in June.
The former commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services received Trump's endorsement late last week, even as early voting had already closed. Also in the running for the spot are Tennessee state Reps. Gino Bulso, Jody Barrett, and Lee Reeves, who would later suspend his campaign and endorse Van Epps after Trump made his pick late in the race.
On the Democratic side are businessman Darden Copeland, as well as state Reps. Aftyn Behn, Bo Mitchell, and Vincent Dixie. The primary winners from the respective parties will face off in a special election on December 2, but the GOP has an advantage as Trump won the district, which covers the central and western parts of the state, by 20 points in the last presidential election.
Many believe Trump's endorsement in this district is a significant win, setting Van Epps apart from the pack after the race had become a test of MAGA loyalty. On Monday, the conservative group Club for Growth hosted a tele-rally featuring Trump and Van Epps as part of the final push.
Trump released a statement as soon as he pledged his support to Van Epps, but he reiterated the sentiments in a post to Truth Social on Tuesday in an effort to get out the vote for his chosen candidate. "VOTE TODAY!" Trump urged on his social media platform.
"It is my Great Honor to endorse America First Patriot Matt Van Epps, who is running to represent the Great People of Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District. A West Point Graduate, and Combat Decorated Army Helicopter Pilot, Matt knows the WISDOM and COURAGE required to Defend our Country, Support our Incredible Military/Veterans, and Ensure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH," the president touted of his Van Epps' service.
"In Congress, Matt will work hard to Keep our now very Secure Border, SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Grow our Economy, Cut Taxes, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Champion School Choice, Unleash American Energy DOMINANCE, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment. He is strongly supported by my good friend, Congressman Jim Jordan, and many other highly respected MAGA Warriors!" Trump added.
"Matt Van Epps has my Complete and Total Endorsement to be the next Congressman from Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District — HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!" the president concluded. This enthusiastic support from the president was not shared by others, however.
Despite receiving Trump's backing, some Republicans are expressing their misgivings about Van Epps because of his role during the COVID-19 pandemic as a response coordinator. In a Tennessee Star opinion piece, author Karen Rupert Rayl took Van Epps to task over his role in perpetuating the COVID-19 lockdowns and vaccine mandates.
"Matt Van Epps may tout certain credentials, but actions speak louder than words. A true conservative doesn’t hide behind a desk, rubber-stamping policies that erode our God-given rights. A true conservative stands up for parents, business owners, and children when the government oversteps," Rayl asserted.
"Van Epps failed that test. His bureaucratic role in administering the state’s response during COVID aligns him more with Anthony Fauci’s top-down control than with the principles of limited government we hold dear in Tennessee," she added. Attacks against Van Epps seem to center around identifying him with Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, who ran the national COVID-19 response.
His opponent, Barrett, has utilized the smear as a campaign strategy and incorporated it into his campaign website. Whether this strategy will overcome the momentum from president's endorsement will be up to the voters who cast their ballots to decide whether the GOP has another Trump ally in the House of Representatives.
It's a smart strategy for Republicans to unite behind a candidate in such a crowded field. Regardless of who wins in the primary, the real test of strength will be whether the GOP can get behind whichever candidate becomes the nominee.
