TN-7 Special Election Shakeups: Questionable Pasts, Surprise Endorsements & Campaign Suspensions

Image Credit: @johnrich / X, @MattForTN / X, @LeeReevesTN / X

The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –

As the TN-7 special election primary draws to a close, one candidate has seen a flurry of attention in both positive and negative regards as his past government service was questioned, money pours in from out-of-state PACs, and a Presidential endorsement caused another candidate to end his bid for the congressional seat.

Matt Van Epps was one of the first to declare his candidacy in the race to replace Congressman Mark Green and managed to secure the endorsements of both Green and Gov. Bill Lee, by whom Van Epps was appointed as the Commissioner of the Department of General Services in 2024.

But it’s his position as Deputy Chief Operating Officer in the Governor’s Office the three years prior that has come under scrutiny by conservatives who claim Van Epps acted dishonestly and forced compliance with Joe Biden’s vaccine mandates for service members as Gov. Lee’s “Covid Czar”.

Singer John Rich, of Big & Rich fame, shared a video featuring the story of Jack Bouchard who was “kicked out of the TN National Guard by Matt Van Epps for refusing the jab.” 

“Basically what happened is they rolled out the mandates and a few of us didn’t want to take the vaccine. I followed through and did a religious exemption, all to the book standard, all to my superiors who were kind to me, they respected it, sent it up the chain,” Bouchard shared.

But he stated Van Epps remained silent and sought the approval of Joe Biden as, “We were getting threats like crazy that we were going to have to pay back our bonuses, so for me that was a $12,000 bonus I was going to have to pay back. I’d be barred from reenlistment; I was going to have an ‘other than honorable’ discharge.”  

Members were also told the discharge, which equates to a civilian-level misdemeanor, would also bar them from ever being able to run for public office. Bouchard relayed there were dozens of other Guardsmen in a similar scenario, forced to take a vaccine they didn’t want or threatened with career ruination.

The website TennFauci compares Van Epps to Dr. Fauci, who became notorious for his draconian policies during the Covid era. “But he’s ashamed of his record and won’t talk about it. He doesn’t even admit he ever had the job. He’s literally SCRUBBED IT from his resume!” says the site of Van Epps’ reported tenure as “Covid Czar”. 

Also alleging dishonesty, an Army veteran filed a complaint with the Adjutant General of the TN National Guard claiming Van Epps violated military directives by appearing in his uniform, having an incomplete disclaimer, and not properly stating his military status in a campaign ad.

Van Epps has also experienced a high level of financial benefit, both from fundraising efforts and PAC interests. He raised around $360,000, the most of any Republican candidate when personal loans and funds are excluded. And nearly $2.5 million has been spent by independent groups to influence the TN-7 primary. 

Over 90% of that money has been spent on Van Epps and Jody Barrett, the apparent grassroots favorite. Much of the funding from these “dark money” PACs has been spent on attack ads against Barrett, though a significant chunk has gone to promoting Van Epps. The Patriotic Fund, a group tracing back to the Bezos family which funnels funds through several PACs, has also supported Van Epps with over $300,000.

And in a somewhat surprising twist, just four days before the election, Van Epps announced his campaign had been endorsed by President Trump, a decision some close to the President have questioned. 

General Mike Flynn believes, “this endorsement is a huge mistake. Van Epps is the ‘Fauci’ of political RINOs and is not a Trump supporter. Whatever back room deal was cut, it shows those around the POTUS snuck this one by him.”

But Trump’s endorsement had another interesting effect as a competitor has decided to end his campaign and throw his support behind Van Epps. Rep. Lee Reeves announced he would pull back from the race and “stand with President Donald Trump” in supporting Van Epps.

“Today, the President called a play I did not expect,” Lee wrote. “He endorsed Matt Van Epps and gave him his complete and total endorsement to be the next Congressman of Tennessee’s 7^th District. The words I said on the campaign trail were not hollow. I mean them. I support our President, and if this is the call he has made, I will back him up. Therefore, I am suspending my campaign and will stand shoulder to shoulder with President Trump. I also endorse Matt Van Epps for Congress.”

About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.