Like, how do you tell them and make the case to them that the GOP is still on their

side? Well, we've been – so when you go back to the four years of Biden that we outlined, terrible inflation, terrible pricing.

So much of what we're seeing today is terrible policy from their four years.

14 million illegal immigrants across our country in the inflationary aspects of that.

We have a secure border now.

House Republicans have been working on this.

We have not predating the conflict in Iran.

What goes through your mind as you're standing behind President Trump

[cheers]

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the stage Congressman for Tennessee's Seventh Congressional District, Matt Van Epps.

[cheers] [rock music] I mean, who doesn't love Top Gun? [cheers] You know? What an awesome walkout song.

You might not know this, but my favorite movie is Top Gun, not just because I'm a former Army helicopter pilot.

[cheers] I, I mean, it is a Navy movie after all.

[cheers] But because beating communists is in my blood.

[cheers] NSDQ.

What do you think about that?

Yeah, well, Dan, I have a personal story about this.

So I was at Fort Hood that day when a terrorist attack happened.

So was my brother.

I was not at the location, but I was at Fort Hood.

It's a large military installation.

This was 2009.

So, you know, in your time in in representing the seventh, talk about the positive side of what Donald Trump has been doing.

Are there any races that are close enough that the presence of the president could be a deciding factor, right? Like, is, is Tennessee just the stage for him to make the case for other races, or are there some in Tennessee that are close enough that the president's presence may be the deciding factor?

Well, I th- I think he's, I think we're firing up the base here.

I think we're getting people energized and out.

Um, we, we feel good in our race, Tennessee's 7th Congressional District.

We're up.

We're gonna stay up.

Um, we, we feel good there.

I'm sure that was, uh, quite the experience back in the day, Congressman.

Are there any races that are close enough that the presence of the president could be a deciding factor, right? Like, is, is Tennessee just the stage for him to make the case for other races, or are there some in Tennessee that are close enough that the president's presence may be the deciding factor?

Well, I th- I think he's ...

I think we're firing up the base here.

I think we're getting people energized and out.

Um, we, we feel good in our race, Tennessee 7th Congressional District.

We're up.

We're gonna stay up.

I'm sure that was, uh, quite the experience back in the day, Congressman.

Why should voters send you back to Congress?

Absolutely.

So since December, uh, in the li- last nine months, we have just hit the ground running.

We've taken the same messaging on security, opportunity, and prosperity that we had in the last election in, into this election.

I have a perfect voting record, 100%, 368 of 368 votes.

In the first quarter, we visited all 14 counties.

We have been hitting the ground really hard.

But compare and contrast, how would you be, in your opinion, a better congressman than your opponent, Darden Copeland?

And so, again, as a member of the military, I'm sure that that date has some distinction for you personally and also as a congressman.

It does, Dan.

I was a freshman to plead at West Point on 9-11.

And I distinctly remember, as any of us do, that on that day that I was in computer science class and we had heard down the hall that a plane had run into a tower and our instructor wheeled the TV into the room and we watched the second plane hit the second tower.

And we just knew America was under attack.

And all the firsties, the first classmen, the upperclassmen put on their battle dress uniforms that day.

And I just remember them saying, hey, we're going to war.

What do you think?

Hmm

... to better relate to them, to be able to provide that support that we did, which was reconnaissance and direct fires in support of those US forces.

And it was a very formative experience.

Uh, we...

You know, I think there were moments of, um, again, of just, um, uncertainty and, um, and anxiety, and you, you lean into your training.

And you, you work really hard to deliver on the mission that you're assigned.

And we would always have what we called an air weapons team, two Apaches east of the Tigris River, two west of the river.

Yeah.

As a veteran, and knowing the veterans as you do, including, you know, veterans who are dealing with PTSD and those kinds of things, heading into America's 250th, obviously that's frustrating to hear.

Dan, I can't, um, I'm not sure I'm gonna be able to put into words just, um, how upset that makes me and how incensed I am about that, about serving with my brothers and sisters.

And when you stand on the ramp of an aircraft and you have, you have one of your brothers and sisters in a flag-draped coffin coming off to go home, that is, um...

It, it's tough.

It's tough to hear that because those people love this country, and they were fighting alongside us, in my case, against the global war on terror, against terrorists who attacked our country, who killed 3,000 of our fellow citizens in a heinous attack.

We were out there going after those, those terrorists to support freedom and democracy and protect our homeland.

And ultimately at the end of the day, you fight to those to your left and right, and you fight to ac- accomplish the mission.

First of all, uh, describe, David, how much of a beating is Caitlin Clark taking on the court compared to the average player?

Tell everybody about it.

Absolutely.

Thanks, Mark.

So we, w- I made a campaign promise that the first bill that we would do would be for Gold Star families and for veterans, and our, our first quarter in office, that's what we, we focused on.

And we introduced back in March, the Honor Gold Star Families Act, which proposed to increase the death gratuity that gets paid to a service member's family after that service member is killed from the current amount of $100,000 to $200,000, provide an annual cost of living adjustment, and make it retroactive to January 1st to cover Operation Epic Fury.

Uh, the bill has 21 co-sponsors.

It's a bipartisan bill with a Republican co-lead, a Democrat co-lead.

Uh, when you got there, uh, who was, who was nice to see? Who took you under their wings? Who was, uh, your biggest help there?

Okay.

So Homeland Security Committee.

So I'm on the Counterterrorism and Intel Subcommittee.

I'm on the Transportation and Maritime Security Subcommittee.

This was back in December, and it was the annual threats briefing.

And the Democrats' response, they made a very insensitive comment when those two National Guard soldiers were killed.

One was killed, one was severely injured in Washington, D.C. And that response just baffled me.

Anything

It's closer to 70%, isn't it?

That's right.

That's right.

And y- y- you know, one...

A couple of the questions that I asked today that I wanted to hone in on is, you know, we, we've got, we've got federal law enforcement working with the state in Memphis, not, not in my district, but it's a great example in Tennessee, of federal law enforcement working alongside, uh, Governor Lee, who's done a fantastic job, outstanding leadership.

And that partnership, they've worked together.

That Memphis Safe Task Force has arrested over 6,000 people.

Good luck running on re-election.

Deploy your resources here, sir.

Yes, sir.

Steve, thank you so much, sir, for having me on.

Election Day here in the Tennessee Seventh Congressional District, I need everybody to get out and vote.

We are, we are up.

We had a great early voting result, but we're not up by a lot and we need to win this.

And that happens when everybody gets out and votes today.

Where, where do they go?

Deploy your resources here, sir.

Yes, sir.

Steve, thank you so much, sir, for having me on.

Election Day here in the Tennessee 7th Congressional District, I need everybody to get out and vote.

We are, we are up.

We had a great early voting result, but we're not up by a lot and we need to win this.

And that happens when everybody gets out and votes today.

Where, where do they go?

So why don't we talk about the state of the race? Tell us about your opponent and tell us about yourself.

Absolutely.

Well, uh, first and foremost, the distinction here between the two of us could not be more clear.

I'm a Christian, a husband, a father, an America First conservative, and a combat veteran.

I'm a West Point graduate.

I served in Iraq and Afghanistan as a, as a helicopter pilot.... to include service with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, the Night Stalkers, with real world, boots on the ground leadership experience.

And you contrast that with my opponent, who is, is a socialist, has been endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America, who wants new and higher taxes to fund her socialist agenda that will skyrocket our cost of living.

How much does margin of victory matter tonight as opposed to just victory?

Deploy your resources here, sir.

Yes, sir.

Steve, thank you so much, sir, for having me on.

Election Day here in Tennessee 7th Congressional District, I need everybody to get out and vote.

We are, we are up.

We had a great early voting result, but we're not up by a lot, and we need to win this, and that happens when everybody gets out and votes today, every Republican, every freedom-loving American in the Tennessee 7th Congressional District.

Polls are open now.

Where, where do they go?

I want, I want the people of Nashville to understand there's a lot at stake here.

Yeah, Sean, you're exactly right.

Thanks for having us.

I'm, I'm here in Tennessee with Matt.

We're campaigning all day because this is a faithful election tomorrow.

It really is, for the future of the whole country.

It's not just about Tennessee's 7th District.

And Democrats, you know, have become so radicalized, it's, it's hard to believe they even ran a candidate like this.

So it seems to me that Democrats in the district that you are running for, even Democrats are not like the super far leftist Democrats, the type that would vote for someone who has, frankly, AOC type policies, because that's what she has.

That's right.

And matter of fact, AOC is going to be doing a rally to support her.

She's at Jasmine Crockett, you know, all of the very far left.

And We're just the opposite.

We are freedom-loving Americans who have the best interest of our district, our state, and our country in mind.

We've got the policies that will address cost of living to drive that down, focusing on health care and housing, child care, energy.

You're the Nashville first candidate.

How do you find out if you, like me, are in Tennessee 7?

The information is on our website, mattfortn.com, mattfortn.com. We've got all the election information.

Folks can find out where their polling location is, links to the Secretary of State's website.

So if they go to mattfortn.com, they'll get that information.

We are up right now, and, uh, we're gonna win when everybody gets out tomorrow.

The weather could be an issue, and we ask people just to be safe, but to get out, have a plan, get to the poll, and be a part of this victory because it is for our country, and we're gonna get it done.

Matt, why is it that whenever I, uh, am perusing, as one does, not just online, but occasionally I'll even go and see what they're saying in the crazier, uh, corners of the television world, like MS Now, formerly known as MSNBC.

We've gotta make sure our people know about this race tomorrow, and also know if they're in the district.

We've got to make sure our people know about this race tomorrow and also know if they're in the district.

Absolutely.

And so we've got, we've got 14 counties, and it stretches.

We've got downtown Nashville.

I love Nashville, by the way, love country music.

And, um, you know, and it, and it stretches up to Fort- where Fort Campbell is, Clarksville.

I lived in Clarksville for, for five years when I served in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.

'Cause it's pretty extraordinary from what I can just pull off the top of my head.

We've gotta make sure our people know about this race tomorrow and also know if they're in the district.

Absolutely.

And so we've got, we've got 14 counties and it stretches.

We've got downtown Nashville.

I love Nashville, by the way.

Love country music.

And, um, you know, and it, and it stretches up to Fort, where Fort Campbell is Clarksville.

'Cause it's pretty extraordinary from what I can just pull off the top of my head.

Matt, just summarize your curriculum vitae here before we talk about what the war impasse needs to do today.

Well, Steve, honored to be on with you.

Thank you so much.

We're excited.

We just left a huge rally.

The president called into it.

The speaker is in town.

Your opponent, correct me if I'm wrong, didn't she was caught on tape saying she hated country music and she didn't like Nashville? She actually wants to represent this district in Congress, sir?

What do you think could be done in the congressional side to help with that? And just as a general philosophical issue, how do you want to approach affordability if you, if in fact you're successful in this election?

Absolutely, and that is top of mind for so many of our voters, and I, I agree.

We stand for battling inflation, secure borders, tax cuts, protecting our kids, cheaper gas, supporting veterans and law enforcement, ending wars around the globe.

And the affordability piece here is, is top of the, top of the agenda.

And I think-- I'm, I'm pro-nuclear.

I think we need to unleash America's, uh, nuclear power and energy.

Tennessee is leading with the first small modular reactor at the Clinch River site in East Tennessee that should be online in twenty thirty-two.

And then on down south, where else? What communities should know they are in this district that you need them to turn out?

What do you think could be done in the Congressional side to help with that? And just as a general philosophical issue, how do you wanna approach affordability if you- if, in fact, you're successful in this election?

Absolutely, and that is top of mind for so many of our voters and I, I agree.

We stand for battling inflation, secure borders, tax cuts, protecting our kids, cheaper gas, supporting veterans and law enforcement, ending wars around the globe.

And the affordability piece here is, is top of the, top of the agenda and I think- I'm, I'm pro-nuclear.

I think we need to unleash America's, uh, nuclear power and energy.

Tennessee is leading with the first small modular reactor at the Clinch River site in East Tennessee that should be online in 2032.

And so, we've gotta, we've gotta promote oil and gas and, and nuclear so that we drive down the cost at the pump, we drive down utilities.

And then on down south, where else? What communities should know they are in this district that you need them to turn out?

What do you think could be done in the Congressional side to help with that? And just as a general philosophical issue, how do you want to approach affordability if you- if, in fact, you're successful in this election?

Absolutely, and that is top of mind for so many of our voters, and I, I agree.

We stand for battling inflation, secure borders, tax cuts, protecting our kids, cheaper gas, supporting veterans and law enforcement, ending wars around the globe.

And the affordability piece here is, is top of the, top of the agenda, and I think...

I'm, I'm pro-nuclear.

I think we need to unleash America's, uh, nuclear power and energy.

Tennessee is leading with the first small modular reactor at the Clinch River site in East Tennessee that should be online in 2032.

And then on down south, where else? What communities should know they are in this district that you need them to turn out?