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BIOGUIDE V000139 · FEC H6TN07161

Matt Van Epps

U.S. Representative (since December 2025)RINCUMBENT

Race
U.S. House · Tennessee's 7th District
Result
Matt Van Epps, projected winner
Opponents
Darden Copeland (D); Andrew Koontz (IND); Lowell Reynolds (IND)
Research
Basic

Party line6 votes tracked

6With Republicans
0Against
0Didn't vote

With party = voted the same way as most Republicans who voted.

Said vs. did1 statement · 6 votes

Matt Van Epps is the U.S. Representative for Tennessee's 7th District and won re-election on November 3, 2026. A West Point graduate and Army aviator who served ten years on active duty, he worked in business and in Tennessee state government under Gov. Bill Lee, including as Commissioner of General Services, before winning the 2025 special election to succeed Rep. Mark Green.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

Compare statements with votes ›

On the ballotU.S. House · 7

2026-11-03

Matt Van Epps Rincumbent
Darden Copeland Dchallenger
Andrew Koontz INDchallenger
Lowell Reynolds INDchallenger

Unopposed in the August 6 Republican primary

Said vs. did

Each documented position next to the recorded floor votes we map to the same issue. Votes are compared one at a time; no overall stance is inferred from them.

Require documentary proof of citizenship to register to voteSupports

Cosponsored H.R. 7296, the SAVE America Act (119th Congress), which would require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections.

Documented position[7]

No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.

Require Congress to approve U.S. military action abroad

No statement on this issue in our sources.

  • NOWar Powers Resolution on Venezuela (H. Con. Res. 64, 2025-12-17), which would have directed the removal of U.S. forces from hostilities against Venezuela absent congressional authorization.[8]
  • NOWar Powers Resolution directing removal of forces from Iran hostilities (H. Con. Res. 86, 2026-06-03), which directed the removal of U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran absent congressional authorization.[9]
Expand public health coverage

No statement on this issue in our sources.

  • NOBreaking the Gridlock Act (H.R. 1834, 2026-01-08), which extended enhanced ACA premium subsidies.[10]
Broad tariffs on imported goods

No statement on this issue in our sources.

  • NOResolution disapproving tariffs on Canada (H.J. Res. 72, 2026-02-11), which disapproved the tariffs on Canadian imports.[11]

Biography

Matt Van Epps is the U.S. Representative for Tennessee's 7th District and won re-election on November 3, 2026. A West Point graduate and Army aviator who served ten years on active duty, he worked in business and in Tennessee state government under Gov. Bill Lee, including as Commissioner of General Services, before winning the 2025 special election to succeed Rep. Mark Green.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.

Van Epps was born March 29, 1983, and, according to Wikipedia, graduated from Mentor High School in Mentor, Ohio.[12] He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in political science and mechanical engineering, and later earned a Master of Public Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.[13][1] He served ten years on active duty as an Army aviator, deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan and flying AH-64D Apache and MH-47G Chinook missions with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment as a pilot-in-command and air mission commander. He continued to serve in the Tennessee Army National Guard, rising to Lieutenant Colonel.[1]

After active duty, Van Epps served as senior vice president of operations at Main Street Health, a start-up focused on value-based rural healthcare, and worked as a consultant. Ballotpedia also lists him as founder of the consulting firm Darkhorse Strategy, LLC.[3][13] In Gov. Bill Lee's administration he was assistant commissioner at the Tennessee Department of Veterans Services, assistant director of procurement and contracts at the Department of Transportation, a strategic planner with the COVID-19 Unified Command Group, and Deputy Chief Operating Officer in the Governor's Office. He also served on the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.[3][1] Gov. Lee named him Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services effective October 1, 2024, overseeing statewide procurement, real estate, and facilities operations. He stepped down on June 10, 2025 to pursue a new venture.[3][14][1]

Van Epps won the October 7, 2025 Republican primary for the vacant 7th District seat with 51.6% of the vote in an 11-candidate field. He then defeated Democrat Aftyn Behn in the December 2, 2025 special election, 53.9% to 45.1%, and was sworn in on December 4, 2025. He was renominated unopposed in the August 6, 2026 primary.[4][5][1] In the House he serves on the Committee on Homeland Security, including its Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security, and on the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.[15] According to his official House biography, he lives in Nashville with his wife and child.[1] According to his campaign website, he campaigned on supporting President Trump's agenda.[2] He won the November 3, 2026 general election with 50.3% of the vote to Darden Copeland's 48.1%, according to unofficial results reported by NBC News.[6]

Campaign website ↗

Recent votes

DateParty lineMeasure
2026-06-03With partyvoted noWar Powers Resolution directing removal of forces from Iran hostilitiesH. Con. Res. 86 · Passed 215–208 · roll call ↗Democrats 211–1 · Republicans 4–207
2026-02-11With partyvoted noResolution disapproving tariffs on CanadaH.J. Res. 72 · Passed 219–211 · roll call ↗Democrats 213–1 · Republicans 6–210
2026-02-03With partyvoted yesConsolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 — full-year government fundingH.R. 7148 · Passed 217–214 · roll call ↗Democrats 21–193 · Republicans 196–21
2026-01-08With partyvoted noBreaking the Gridlock Act — ACA subsidy extensionH.R. 1834 · Passed 230–196 · roll call ↗Democrats 213–0 · Republicans 17–196
2025-12-17With partyvoted noWar Powers Resolution on VenezuelaH. Con. Res. 64 · Failed 211–213 · roll call ↗Democrats 208–1 · Republicans 3–212
2025-12-10With partyvoted yesNational Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 — final passageS. 1071 · Passed 312–112 · roll call ↗Democrats 115–94 · Republicans 197–18

On the record

Official actions: bills, executive acts, filings and court records.

  • action2025-12-02 · Won the special election for Tennessee's 7th Congressional District on December 2, 2025, defeating Aftyn Behn (D) 53.9% to 45.1%, and was sworn into the 119th Congress on December 4, 2025.[16]
  • actionServes on the House Committee on Homeland Security (Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security) and the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.[17]
Campaign money$2.3M raised · 74% from individuals · FEC through 2026-07-17

Totals this cycle

Raised$2.3M
Spent$2.1M
Cash on hand$208K

Bars share one scale (raised = full). Cash on hand can include money carried over from earlier cycles.

Who gave

  • Individuals $1.7M
  • PACs & committees $582K
  • Party $7,305

Largest committee contributions

  1. Electing Majority Making Effective Republicans PAC PAC$15K
  2. Tractor Supply Company Political Action Committee PAC$15K
  3. Senate Eagle PAC PAC$15K
  4. National Association of Realtors Political Action Committee PAC$14K
  5. American Israel Public Affairs Committee Political Action Committee PAC$13K
  6. Building America's Republican Representation PAC PAC$10K
  7. Raptor PAC PAC$10K
  8. Patriots in Action PAC$10K
  9. American Revival PAC PAC$10K
  10. Seal PAC Supporting Electing American Leaders PAC PAC$10K

Direct contributions only; outside spending is not included. Individual donors are itemized in the FEC’s receipts. All itemized receipts ↗ FEC filing ↗

Profile: /people/matt-van-epps

Where they stood out

Voted against most of their party on 2 of 262 party-divided votes on file.

  • Amendment (Roy) to H.R. 8595 — Making appropriations for national security, Department of State, and related programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2027, and for other purposes.

    A yes vote supported an H.R. 8595 amendment that bars any funds in the bill from being made available to the United Nations. (AI-written)

    What it does: National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2027 This bill provides FY2027 appropriations for national security, the Department of State, and related programs.

    Voted no · most Republicans voted yes · Democrats 0–210, Republicans 136–80

    Jul 15, 2026Official record ↗

  • ROTOR Act

    What it does: Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform Act or the ROTOR Act This bill addresses aviation safety by increasing requirements for aircraft tracking and communication using Automatic Dependent Surveillanc…

    Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 187–1, Republicans 77–131

    Feb 24, 2026Official record ↗

Full voting recordHow this is counted

Their votes on the most contested roll calls

The votes in their chamber that came out closest and most divided by party, among those they voted on. How we rank

See all their split votes

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Sources cited in this profile

  1. 1.About · Office of Congressman Matt Van Epps Official record
  2. 2.Meet Matt Van Epps · Matt Van Epps for Congress Candidate's own words
  3. 3.Gov. Lee Announces Key Leadership Transition at TN Department of General Services · Office of the Governor of Tennessee · 2024-09-16 Official record
  4. 4.Special general election for U.S. House Tennessee District 7, December 2, 2025 · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  5. 5.Tennessee's 7th Congressional District election, 2026 · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  6. 6.Tennessee 7th District U.S. House election results 2026 · NBC News News report
  7. 7.H.R. 7296, the SAVE America Act (SAVE America Act) — sponsors and cosponsors · Congress.gov Official record
  8. 8.Roll call: War Powers Resolution on Venezuela · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-12-17 Official record
  9. 9.Roll call: War Powers Resolution directing removal of forces from Iran hostilities · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-06-03 Official record
  10. 10.Roll call: Breaking the Gridlock Act — ACA subsidy extension · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-01-08 Official record
  11. 11.Roll call: Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-02-11 Official record
  12. 12.Matt Van Epps · Wikipedia · 2026-10-21 Reference
  13. 13.Matt Van Epps · Ballotpedia Reference
  14. 14.Gov. Lee Announces Key Leadership Transition at Tennessee Department of General Services · Office of the Governor of Tennessee · 2025-06-11 Official record
  15. 15.Committees and Caucuses · Office of Congressman Matt Van Epps Official record
  16. 16.Tennessee's 7th Congressional District election, 2026 · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  17. 17.Committees and Caucuses · Office of Congressman Matt Van Epps Official record