Rep. Matt Van Epps takes office—ending the vacancy in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District

By

Briana Ryan

On Dec. 4, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) swore Rep. Matt Van Epps (R) into the U.S. House of Representatives, filling the vacancy in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District.

The vacancy began on July 20, after then-Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.) left office to accept a position in the private sector. In the Dec. 2 special election to fill the vacancy, Van Epps defeated Aftyn Behn (D) 54% to 45%.

Van Epps’ swearing-in now brings the Republicans' majority in the chamber to 220 to 213 with two vacancies.

Vacancies in the 119th Congress

So far in the 119th Congress, there have been seven vacancies in the U.S. House and three in the U.S. Senate. Of those vacancies:

  • Two in the U.S. Senate were filled via appointment.
  • One in the U.S. Senate was filled when Sen. Jim Justice (R-W.Va.) was sworn into office 11 days after the start of the 119th Congress. Justice delayed his swearing-in in order to fulfill the remainder of his term as governor of West Virginia.
  • Five in the U.S. House were filled after special election winners were sworn in.

As of Dec. 7, two vacancies in Texas' 18th Congressional District and New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District have not been filled.

At 137 days, the vacancy in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District is the fourth-longest vacancy of the 119th Congress. The longest vacancy is in Texas' 18th Congressional District, which has been vacant since the death of Rep. Sylvester Turner (D-Texas) on March 5. As of Dec. 7, the district has been vacant for 277 days.

Congressional vacancies since the 113th Congress

During the 113th through 118th Congresses, there were 88 vacancies in the U.S. House and 19 in the U.S. Senate. The average length of a vacancy in the U.S. Senate during that period was six days. The average length of a vacancy in the U.S. House during that period was 138 days.

The longest vacancy in the U.S. Senate during that period was in New Jersey. The vacancy occurred during the 118th Congress, when Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) resigned on Aug. 20, 2024. Following Menendez's resignation, the seat was vacant for 20 days.

The longest vacancy in the U.S. House during that period was in Michigan's 13th Congressional District. The vacancy occurred during the 115th Congress, when Rep. John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) resigned on Oct. 27, 2019. Following Conyers' resignation, the seat was vacant for 359 days.