U.S. House, Tennessee 7th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Tennessee's 7th Congressional District?
Matt Van Epps has the strongest record in Tennessee's 7th Congressional District. Matt Van Epps scores 63 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Matt Van Epps's highest marks are showing up and relevant experience. Darden Copeland (6 of 15 criteria), Andrew J. Koontz (0 of 15 criteria) and Lowell Reynolds (3 of 15 criteria) have too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Democratic
Darden Copeland
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 6 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 63
- Performance
- NR
Republican · incumbent
Strongest record
Matt Van Epps
63 / 100
Public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 44
- Qualifications
- 69
- Performance
- 88
Independent
Andrew J. Koontz
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 0 of 15 criteria
- Character
- NR
- Qualifications
- NR
- Performance
- NR
Independent
Lowell Reynolds
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 3 of 15 criteria
- Character
- NR
- Qualifications
- 50
- Performance
- NR
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Darden Copeland
- On the record2026-10
Said in a NewsChannel 5 interview that he would not debate his opponent in the 2026 general election.
Matt Van Epps
- Unresolved2026-10-05
His opponent filed an Office of Congressional Conduct complaint alleging a staffer paid by both his House office and campaign did campaign work on official time; his office called it unsupported.
Where it stands: Filed with the Office of Congressional Conduct on Oct. 5, 2026; no action by the office reported as of Oct. 9, 2026.
- On the record2026-10
Said in a NewsChannel 5 interview that he would not debate his opponent in the 2026 general election.
- Credit2026-09
Missed no roll call votes from his December 2025 swearing-in through September 2026, per GovTrack.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Andrew J. Koontz
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Lowell Reynolds
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Darden Copeland. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through July 17, 2026, and a 2025 House candidate financial disclosure is on file. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10072215, FEC administrative fines search
Matt Van Epps. A new-member financial disclosure was filed June 15, 2026, and a periodic transaction report listed June 16, 2026 stock sales on June 17. No House Ethics Committee finding or FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10079856, House Clerk periodic transaction report, Filing ID 20034807, FEC administrative fines search
Andrew J. Koontz. No public record found.
Lowell Reynolds. No public record found.
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Darden Copeland. No public record found.
Matt Van Epps. No public record found.
Andrew J. Koontz. No public record found.
Lowell Reynolds. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Darden Copeland. Holds open campaign town halls in counties across the district in September and October 2026, but told NewsChannel 5 he will not debate his opponent.
Sources: Campaign site, Town Halls, NewsChannel 5 Nashville, Oct. 2026
Matt Van Epps. Told NewsChannel 5 he would not debate his opponent in 2026. The Banner reports he campaigns largely through X, talk radio and private donor events; no general election forum appearance was found.
Sources: NewsChannel 5 Nashville, Oct. 2026, Nashville Banner, Oct. 1, 2026
Andrew J. Koontz. No public record found.
Lowell Reynolds. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Darden Copeland. No public record found.
Matt Van Epps. Ten years of active Army service including Iraq and Afghanistan deployments, Tennessee Army National Guard lieutenant colonel, state commissioner and member of Congress since December 2025. No censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Matt Van Epps, Office site, About
Andrew J. Koontz. No public record found.
Lowell Reynolds. No public record found.
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Darden Copeland. No public record found.
Matt Van Epps. Army officer and National Guard lieutenant colonel, former state commissioner and sworn into the House on Dec. 4, 2025, after the 2021 electoral count. No misuse-of-office finding found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Matt Van Epps, Office site, About
Andrew J. Koontz. No public record found.
Lowell Reynolds. No public record found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Darden Copeland. Founder of the Nashville public affairs firm Calvert Street Group after working as a campaign manager and strategist on congressional and presidential campaigns. Has not held public office.
Sources: Nashville Banner candidate questionnaire, Ballotpedia, Darden Copeland
Matt Van Epps. Member of Congress since December 2025, less than one full term; earlier Tennessee commissioner of general services and deputy chief operating officer in the governor's office, and a decade as an Army aviator.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Matt Van Epps, Office site, About
Andrew J. Koontz. No public record found.
Lowell Reynolds. Music producer and audio engineer for more than 20 years and a law student; has not held public office.
Source: Campaign site
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Darden Copeland. Answered a detailed questionnaire with specific proposals, including closing the carried interest loophole, restoring the top marginal rate for the highest earners and strengthening the corporate minimum tax.
Matt Van Epps. Serves on the Homeland Security and Science, Space and Technology committees, with subcommittee assignments; no chair post.
Source: GovTrack, Matt Van Epps
Andrew J. Koontz. No public record found.
Lowell Reynolds. States general positions on restoring congressional checks on the executive branch and constitutional government.
Source: Campaign site
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Darden Copeland. Completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025 and the Nashville Banner questionnaire in 2026, and holds campaign town halls.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Darden Copeland, Nashville Banner candidate questionnaire, Campaign site, Town Halls
Matt Van Epps. Offers an official email newsletter and text updates and gives interviews on talk radio. Did not answer the Nashville Banner questionnaire or Ballotpedia's survey.
Sources: Office site, Contact, Nashville Banner candidate questionnaire
Andrew J. Koontz. No public record found.
Lowell Reynolds. Completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026.
Source: Ballotpedia, Lowell Reynolds
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Darden Copeland. No public record found.
Matt Van Epps. No public record found.
Andrew J. Koontz. No public record found.
Lowell Reynolds. No public record found.
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Darden Copeland. Founded and leads a public affairs firm; campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC with no administrative fine found.
Sources: Nashville Banner candidate questionnaire, FEC administrative fines search
Matt Van Epps. Led the Tennessee Department of General Services, which handles statewide procurement, real estate and facilities. Campaign reports on file with the FEC, no administrative fine found.
Sources: Office site, About, FEC candidate page
Andrew J. Koontz. No public record found.
Lowell Reynolds. No public record found.
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Darden Copeland. No public record found.
Matt Van Epps. No public record found.
Andrew J. Koontz. No public record found.
Lowell Reynolds. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Darden Copeland. No public record found.
Matt Van Epps. Missed 0 of 364 roll call votes, 0.0 percent, from December 2025 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Andrew J. Koontz. No public record found.
Lowell Reynolds. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Darden Copeland. No public record found.
Matt Van Epps. Operates district offices in Clarksville and Franklin and holds scheduled mobile office hours in district communities.
Source: Office site
Andrew J. Koontz. No public record found.
Lowell Reynolds. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Darden Copeland. No public record found.
Matt Van Epps. No public record found.
Andrew J. Koontz. No public record found.
Lowell Reynolds. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Darden Copeland. No public record found.
Matt Van Epps. No public record found.
Andrew J. Koontz. No public record found.
Lowell Reynolds. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 9, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in Tennessee's 7th Congressional District?
Matt Van Epps has the strongest record in Tennessee's 7th Congressional District. Matt Van Epps scores 63 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Matt Van Epps's highest marks are showing up and relevant experience. Darden Copeland (6 of 15 criteria), Andrew J. Koontz (0 of 15 criteria) and Lowell Reynolds (3 of 15 criteria) have too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in Tennessee's 7th Congressional District in 2026?
Darden Copeland (Democratic), Matt Van Epps (Republican, incumbent), Andrew J. Koontz (Independent), Lowell Reynolds (Independent). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Darden Copeland a good candidate for Congress?
Darden Copeland has public evidence on 6 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
Is Matt Van Epps a good candidate for Congress?
Matt Van Epps scores 63 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria: character 44 of 100, qualifications 69 of 100, performance 88 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Andrew J. Koontz a good candidate for Congress?
Andrew J. Koontz has public evidence on 0 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
Is Lowell Reynolds a good candidate for Congress?
Lowell Reynolds has public evidence on 3 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every Tennessee race scored, the trailing candidate's path to victory, and the Tennessee 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.