Rep. Matt Van Epps, a Republican, is running for a full term representing Tennessee's 7th Congressional District in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. The district includes parts of the Hendersonville area.
Van Epps was sworn into Congress on Dec. 4 after winning a special election. He faces three challengers: Darden Hunter Copeland (Democratic), Andrew J. Koontz (Independent) and Lowell Andre Reynolds (Independent), according to BallotReady.
Candidate information
- Party: Republican
- Residence: Nashville, according to his congressional biography, where he lives with his wife and child
- Education: Bachelor's degree in political science and mechanical engineering, United States Military Academy at West Point, 2005; master's degree in public administration, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2019, according to BallotReady
- Ballot status: Certified for the ballot
Experience and public service
Van Epps served ten years on active duty as an Army aviator, deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan, according to his congressional biography. He flew and commanded missions in both the AH-64D Apache and the MH-47G Chinook helicopters as a pilot-in-command and air mission commander with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne). His congressional office describes him as a member of the West Point Class of 9/11.
Van Epps has served as an officer in the Tennessee Army National Guard since 2017, according to BallotReady.
In state government, Van Epps served as assistant commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Veterans Services from 2016 to 2019, assistant director at the Tennessee Department of Transportation from 2019 to 2020, and deputy chief operating officer in the Office of Governor Bill Lee from 2020 to 2023, according to BallotReady. He served as commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services from 2024 to 2025.
Van Epps worked as senior vice president of operations at Main Street Health in 2023, according to BallotReady. In 2024, he founded Darkhorse Strategy, a consulting firm.
In Congress, he serves on the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, according to his congressional press releases.
On the issues
The following positions are drawn from Van Epps' campaign website and BallotReady questionnaire responses. All statements reflect the candidate's own claims.
Economy and spending: Van Epps said on his campaign website he is committed to cutting government waste and fighting for working families. He said he wants to bring manufacturing back, expand American energy production and pass legislation to regulate and promote innovation in cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence.
Critical minerals: Van Epps co-led the bipartisan Critical Materials Future Act with Rep. Betty McCollum of Minnesota, which would establish a Department of Energy pilot program to support domestic critical mineral processing and reduce dependence on foreign adversaries, according to a congressional press release. Van Epps said China refines more than 90% of graphite and nearly all gallium, calling it "far past time for the United States to end this dangerous dependence …"
Border security: Van Epps said he supports finishing the wall, empowering Border Patrol and ending what he called an open-border agenda, according to his campaign website.
Veterans: Van Epps said he would work to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs, eliminate red tape and expand veterans' access to healthcare and benefits, according to his campaign website.
Abortion: Van Epps said he would defend the sanctity of life and ensure taxpayer dollars are not used to fund abortion, according to his campaign website.
Endorsements
The following endorsements are claimed by the candidate or the endorsing organization, according to the sources listed:
- Donald Trump, president of the United States (source: Van Epps campaign website)
- Guardian Fund PAC (source: BallotReady)
- Club for Growth (source: BallotReady)
Candidate positions and claims are based on campaign materials and public questionnaire responses. The Hendersonville Register did not interview the candidate for this profile.
