It was never realistic to think Democrats could overturn special U.S. congressional elections in deep-red middle Tennessee. Republicans had built too many structural advantages to lose, but the fact that the district Trump won by 22 points over Kamala Harris in 2024 has shifted 13 points to the left in about a year should sow panic within the Republican Party.
Republicans spent millions of dollars to hold a special election in a district that Trump said would prove the Republican Party was strong.
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Speaking of Trump, Republicans even asked the declining president to speak on the phone at two rallies for Republican Van Epps. Republicans sent Speaker Mike Johnson to campaign in the district and did everything they could to try for a dominant victory.
Tennessee’s special election was not a contest in which Republicans leaned on their inherent advantages and eked out a smaller victory than expected. Trump and his party tried to run up the score, but they completely failed.
The Republican Party’s failure to suppress members of its own party who worry about a blue wave is the big story of this special election.
Tennessee sent a message to Republicans: a blue wave is coming.
CNN’s Harry Entin said:
Republicans should run for the hills this morning because the blue wave is growing. What are we talking about here? Well, Van Epps, Matt Van Epps, the Republican candidate, he won it by 9 points, but this is a district that Donald Trump won by 22 points, 15 points, 17 points. This represents a 13 point gain for the Democrats in terms of margin.
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