"Van Epps overcame the challenges of being a first-time candidate with low name recognition by rolling out the big guns in terms of endorsements in the later stages of the primary. After Trump endorsed him last week, fellow candidate Lee Reeves said he was bowing out of the race and encouraged his supporters to vote for Van Epps. Gov. Bill Lee and powerful conservative U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan also backed Van Epps, who touted his military service during the campaign."
"Behn worked as a health care advocate and grassroots activist before winning her state House seat in 2023. She was a vocal proponent for gun control following The Covenant School shooting. The intrigue: Democrats view the special election as a golden opportunity to flip the seat following Green's surprising retirement announcement over the summer. Special elections lead to lower turnout. Combined with turmoil in Washington D.C., Democrats are hoping to turn the race into a political sprint that leads to an upset in December."
Van Epps overcame low name recognition by securing high-profile endorsements late in the primary, including Donald Trump, Gov. Bill Lee and Rep. Jim Jordan. He highlighted military service as a West Point graduate, combat helicopter pilot, National Guard lieutenant colonel, and former head of the state Department of General Services. Behn worked as a health care advocate and grassroots activist before winning a state House seat in 2023 and pushed for gun control after The Covenant School shooting. Democrats see the low-turnout special election as an opportunity to flip the seat following Green's unexpected retirement, making the contest a national measuring stick for Trump's popularity.
Read at Axios
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