Despite loss, Democrats overperformed in bright red Tennessee House race

 https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/02/tennessee-aftyn-behn-matt-van-epps-democrats-00674118

Nevertheless, House Republicans privately bemoaned the results.

Speaker Mike Johnson leadership’s team was bracing for a tighter than comfortable race, and the single digit margin was a hard pill to swallow after national Republicans raced to rescue Van Epps in the final days.

“It was too close,” said one House GOP leadership aide.