Both Democrat and Republican candidates seeking to fill a seat left vacant by U.S. Rep. Mark Green in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District will face off in a bipartisan forum on Sept. 8 in Dickson ― and several partisan events ahead of early primary voting.
Since Green announced his retirement in June, candidates have flocked to the field to succeed him. Altogether, 11 Republicans, four Democrats, and four independents will be on the special election ballot in December.
With days to go before early primary voting begins, there’s no clear frontrunner on either side of the aisle.
Recent GOP primary polling has found that 57% of voters remain undecided on who to support in the race. Four Republicans — state Reps. Jody Barrett, Gino Bulso and Lee Reeves, and former state Commissioner Matt Van Epps — are pulling the highest, netting between 7% and 10.1% of the vote each.
Candidates will have the chance to define their stances and debate the issues in the first — and likely only — bipartisan matchup of the election on Sept. 8. The forum will begin at 9 a.m. at the Wonders Center & Science Museum at 855 Highway 46 S in Dickson.
U.S. Rep. Mark Green, R-Clarksville, Tenn., Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024.
The forum is co-hosted by the Tennessee Farm Bureau, Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association, Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and the Tennessee Soil and Water Conservation Districts.
Confirmed participants include:
State Rep. Bo Mitchell, D-Nashville
State Rep. Aftyn Behn, D-Nashville
Nashville businessman Darden Copeland (D)
Former Commissioner of General Services Matt Van Epps (R)
State Rep. Jody Barrett, R-Dickson
State Rep. Lee Reeves, R-Franklin
State Rep. Gino Bulso, R-Brentwood
Retired Metro Nashville Police Detective Joe Leurs (R)
Former congressional candidate Tres Wittum (R)
Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District, redrawn in 2021, is considered safely Republican. Green won reelection with nearly 60% of the vote last November.
It includes northwest Nashville and western Williamson County, and stretches from Montgomery County down to the Alabama border.
A handful of partisan candidate forums and debates are also scheduled for the coming days, including a candidate forum hosted by the Houston County Republican Party in Erin on Sept. 4, a debate hosted by Americans for Prosperity Tennessee on the evening of Sept. 5 in Nashville and a candidate forum hosted by Williamson County Democrats in Fairview on Sept. 7.
Early voting for the special primary elections begins on Sept. 17. Election day is Oct. 7. The last day to register to vote in the Oct. 7 election is Sept. 8.
Voters can register online at GoVoteTN.gov. Unsure which congressional district you live in? Find out here.
Vivian Jones covers state government and politics for The Tennessean. Reach her at vjones@tennessean.com or on X @Vivian_E_Jones.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: District 7 congressional candidates to face off in bipartisan forum