Tennessee House District 7 2026: the ads, and who's paying for them

Matt Van Epps won · 50.3% to 48.1% · Called by AP on Nov 5

Darden Copeland (Democrat), Andrew Koontz (independent) and Matt Van Epps (Republican) are the nominees for Tennessee's 7th congressional district in the November 3, 2026 general election. Matt Van Epps is the incumbent. By their latest FEC reports, Darden Copeland's campaign had raised $1.3 million (through October 14, 2026), Andrew Koontz's campaign $5,000 (through October 14, 2026) and Matt Van Epps's campaign $2.6 million (through October 14, 2026). Outside groups have reported $2.5 million for Matt Van Epps and $1.7 million against.

Darden Copeland (DEM), Andrew Koontz (IND), Matt Van Epps (REP, incumbent). 3 others filed with the FEC; any ads they ran are below. 0 ads analyzed, 0 with at least one technique in the copy. Newest first. The paid-for-by line is the advertiser's own filing.

Also on every Tennessee ballot: 3 statewide ballot measures → The ballot wording and the official arguments, read for rhetorical techniques.

How to vote in Tennessee

From Tennessee's official election office. Each line links to the official page it came from.

Registration Register by Mon, Oct 5 (30 days before the election; mail forms must be postmarked by then) (passed)Source: sos.tn.gov ↗Source: sos.tn.gov ↗
Early voting in person Wed, Oct 14 to Thu, Oct 29 (In person; hours and locations set by county election commission) (passed)Source: sos.tn.gov ↗
By mail Mail voting needs a reason the state accepts (Reasons include being out of county, student, age 60+, illness/disability, candidate, CDL work, permanent absentee list); request a ballot by Sat, Oct 24 (Request must be received by county election commission); return it by Tue, Nov 3 (Received by close of polls (8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT); by mail only, no hand delivery) (passed)Source: sos.tn.gov ↗Source: sos.tn.gov ↗
Election Day Tue, Nov 3. Polls: Opening varies by county; all polls close 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT (passed)Source: sos.tn.gov ↗
ID at the polls Photo ID required: TN or federal government-issued photo ID (expired OK); no student IDsSource: sos.tn.gov ↗

Checked October 8, 2026. Rules can change; confirm with the official site before you go.

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Money in this race

From FEC filings for 2025–26. Outside spending is money a group spends on its own about a candidate — TV and online ads, mail, canvassing. It is not a donation to the campaign, and the candidate does not control it. Supporting means it was spent to help that candidate win; Opposing means it was spent to defeat them, usually on attack ads. Groups report it within 24 or 48 hours as the election nears. Raised is the campaign's own fundraising, as of its latest quarterly report. Largest donors come from each outside spender's own FEC receipts, with each donor's share of its itemized receipts; donors under $100,000 are not named. People are shown with the employer and occupation they reported. A donor that is itself a political committee is shown with its own largest donors. Companies and nonprofits don't report their funders to the FEC, so the trail ends there, and the page says so.

Darden Copeland (DEM)

Raised
$1.3M through 2026-10-14 individuals $862K · PACs $3,000 · candidate's own money, incl. loans $392K · cash on hand $74K
Outside spending
none reported
Bundled through PACs
none reported · FEC bulk data of 2026-11-01
2 PACs gave directly — alphabetical; the legal limit is $5,000 per election
  • BLUE WAVE AMERICA $2,000
  • COMMON GROUND PAC $1,000

All filings at the FEC ↗

Andrew Koontz (IND)

Raised
$5,100 through 2026-10-14 individuals $0 · PACs $0 · candidate's own money, incl. loans $5,100 · cash on hand $4,970
Outside spending
none reported
Bundled through PACs
none reported · FEC bulk data of 2026-11-01

All filings at the FEC ↗

Matt Van Epps (REP, incumbent)

Raised
$2.6M through 2026-10-14 individuals $1.9M · PACs $691K · party $10K · from the candidate's other committees $85K · cash on hand $358K
Outside spending
$1.7M opposing Epps · $2.5M supporting Epps · latest reported 2026-02-18
Largest outside spenders
MAGA INC. — $844K supporting Epps Largest donors: FORIS DAX, INC. $35.0M (8%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); Diane Hendricks $25.0M (6%), Hendricks Holding CO Inc., Chairman; Miriam O Adelson $25.0M (6%), LAS Vegas Sands Corporation, Director OF Community Development; GEMINI TRUST COMPANY $24.4M (6%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); Jeff Yass $16.0M (4%), Susquehanna International GRP, Managing Director YOUR COMMUNITY PAC — $738K opposing Epps Largest donors: SIXTEEN THIRTY FUND $2.7M (62%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); NORTH FUND $900K (20%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); AMERICAN OPPORTUNITY ACTION $515K (12%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS PAC $250K (6%) HMP — $724K opposing Epps Largest donors: HOUSE MAJORITY FORWARD $93.7M (39%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); Reid G Hoffman $8.5M (4%), Greylock Partners, Partner; ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FUND $5.0M (2%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); Fred Eychaner $5.0M (2%), Retired; UNITED ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ISSUES FUND $4.8M (2%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC) AMERICAN LIBERTY FOUNDATION — $384K supporting Epps Largest donors: AMERICAN LIBERTY ACTION FUND $355K (26%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); VOICE OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL $250K (18%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); THE GEO GROUP, INC. PAC $250K (18%); THE 2026 VICTORY COMMITTEE $148K (11%) (its largest donors: ANDREWS, GEORGE $409K); Phillip Frost $100K (7%), Opko Health INC, CEO AMERICAN PATRIOTS PAC — $330K supporting Epps Largest donors: Kenneth C Griffin $2.5M (100%), Citadel LLC, CEO and 15 more
Bundled through PACs
$14K through 2 PACs · FEC bulk data of 2026-11-01 AMERICAN ISRAEL PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE — $8,250 from 5 gifts Lobbyist/registrant PAC CLUB FOR GROWTH PAC — $5,500 from 6 gifts
154 PACs gave directly — alphabetical; the legal limit is $5,000 per election
  • A NEW NATION PAC $2,000
  • ABRAHAM LINCOLN PAC $2,500
  • AECOM PAC $2,500
  • AKIN GUMP STRAUSS HAUER & FELD LLP CIVIC ACTION COMMITTEE (A $2,750
  • ALTRIA GROUP INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (ALTRIAPAC) $2,500
  • AMERICA'S CREDIT UNIONS PAC OF CREDIT UNION NATIONAL ASSOCIA $5,000
  • AMERICA'S MOUNTAIN PAC $2,000
  • AMERICAN ISRAEL PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE POLITICAL ACTION CO $5,000
  • AMERICAN OPTOMETRIC ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $4,500
  • AMERICAN REVIVAL PAC $10K
  • AMERICAN SECURITY PAC $3,500
  • APL PAC $5,000
  • ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS OF AMERICA POLITICAL ACTION C $2,500
  • ASURION LLC POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (ASURION PAC) $5,000
  • AUSTIN SCOTT FOR CONGRESS INC $2,000
  • BAPS PUBLIC AFFAIRS INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (BAPS P $5,000
  • BIG IDEAS CREATE EXCELLENCE PAC $1,000
  • BILL POWERS FOR TN $3,500
  • BRIAN JACK FOR CONGRESS $4,000
  • BRIGGS FOR SENATE $1,000
  • BRINGING REPUBLICAN EXCELLENCE TO TOWN PAC $6,000
  • BUCKEYE LIBERTY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $10K
  • BUILD POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION $5,000
  • BUILDING A REPUBLIC AMERICA DESERVES $2,000
  • BUILDING AMERICA'S REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATION PAC $10K
  • BUILDING RENEWAL IN AMERICA NOW PAC $2,000
  • BURCHETT FOR CONGRESS $1,000
  • CARRY ON PAC $5,000
  • CCFI COMPANIES LLC (FKA CHECKSMART FINANCIAL LLC AND CCFI LL $2,500
  • CEILING AND VISIBILITY UNLIMITED (CAVU PAC) $1,000
  • CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA PAC (US $5,000
  • CLIFF BENTZ FOR CONGRESS $2,000
  • COMMITTEE TO ELECT SHARON MASSEY GRIMES $1,000
  • CONCERNED AMERICANS FOR FREEDOM & OPPORTUNITY PAC (CAFO PAC) $2,500
  • CONSERVATIVE OPPORTUNITY LEADERSHIP AND ENTERPRISE PAC $5,000
  • CONSERVATIVE SERVICE ACTION RESULTS (CSAR) PAC $1,000
  • CONTINUING AMERICA'S STRENGTH AND SECURITY PAC $2,500
  • CORECIVIC INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (CORECIVIC PAC) $5,000
  • CPAC ACTION PAC $1,500
  • DAVE TAYLOR FOR CONGRESS $2,000
  • DAVID ROUZER FOR CONGRESS $2,000
  • DEFENDING THE AMERICAN DREAM PAC $1,000
  • DELANIS $1,000
  • DELIVERING AMERICAN VALUES IN DC PAC $2,500
  • DEPENDABLE CONSERVATIVE LEADERSHIP PAC $1,500
  • EASTMANPAC-POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE OF EASTMAN CHEMICAL CO $1,000
  • ED JACKSON SENATE ACCOUNT $1,100
  • ELECTING MAJORITY MAKING EFFECTIVE REPUBLICANS PAC $10K
  • EMMER FOR CONGRESS $4,000
  • FEDEX CORPORATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,000
  • FEDORCHAK FOR ND $1,000
  • FIELD OF DREAMS PAC $1,000
  • FIGHT ON PAC $8,500
  • FIRST IN FREEDOM PAC $5,000
  • FREEDOM'S DEFENSE FUND $10K
  • FRIENDS OF DAVE JOYCE $2,000
  • FRIENDS OF JIMMY PATRONIS $1,000
  • FRIENDS OF SCOTT DESJARLAIS $2,000
  • GENERAL DYNAMICS CORPORATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (GEN $3,000
  • GIVING US SECURITY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
  • GUARDIAN LEADERSHIP PAC $7,500
  • GUARDING OUR LASTING DEMOCRACY (GOLD) PAC $5,000
  • GUTHRIE FOR CONGRESS $2,000
  • HCA HEALTHCARE INC. GOOD GOVERNMENT FUND $2,500
  • HEALTH CARE SERVICE CORPORATION EMPLOYEES' POLITICAL ACTION $5,000
  • HELP ELECT REPUBLICANS NOW $5,000
  • HIGHWATER PAC $5,000
  • IN THE ARENA PAC $5,000
  • INDEPENDENT INSURANCE AGENTS & BROKERS OF AMERICA INC. POLI $5,000
  • INTERNATIONAL FRANCHISE ASSOCIATION FRANCHISING POLITICAL AC $1,000
  • JACK JOHNSON FOR STATE SENATE $1,000
  • JACKSON HOLDINGS LLC AND JACKSON NATIONAL LIFE INSURANCE COM $5,000
  • JASON ZACHARY FOR STATE REP $1,000
  • JEFF H. BRYANT JR. FOR HIGHWAY SUPERVISOR $500
  • JIM JORDAN FOR CONGRESS $6,000
  • JUSTICE FREEDOM & LIBERTY PAC $1,000
  • KEEP TEXAS TEXAS PAC $1,000
  • KOCH INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (KOCHPAC) $3,500
  • LAND OF OPPORTUNITY PAC $2,000
  • LASTING INVESTMENTS STRENGTHENING AMERICA PAC $5,000
  • LIFEPOINT HEALTH PAC - THE PAC OF LIFEPOINT CORPORATE SERVIC $5,000
  • MAKING A RESPONSIBLE STAND FOR HOUSEHOLDS IN AMERICA PAC $10K
  • MANN FOR CONGRESS $2,000
  • MIKE JOHNSON FOR LOUISIANA $4,000
  • MIKE KENNEDY FOR UTAH $1,000
  • MOORE FOR WEST VIRGINIA STATE ACCOUNT $2,000
  • MORTGAGE BANKERS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (MOR $3,000
  • MOUNTAINEER PAC $5,000
  • MR. SOUTHERN MISSOURIAN IN THE HOUSE PAC $5,000
  • NATHANIEL MORAN FOR CONGRESS $2,000
  • NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANIES PAC $1,000
  • NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $14K
  • NATIONAL BEER WHOLESALERS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMI $5,000
  • NATIONAL COTTON COUNCIL OF AMERICA COMMITTEE FOR THE ADVANCE $1,500
  • NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION $5,000
  • NATIONAL EMERGENCY MEDICINE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE / AME $2,500
  • NATIONAL FEDERATION OF INDEPENDENT BUSINESS FEDERAL POLITICA $3,500
  • NATIONAL HEALTH CORPORATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
  • NATIONAL RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION AMERICA'S EL $1,000
  • NATIONAL STONE SAND & GRAVEL ASSOCIATION ROCKPAC $1,500
  • NATSO INC. NATSO PAC $1,000
  • NESTPOINT PAC $3,000
  • NEVER SURRENDER PAC $3,500
  • NOOGA PAC $2,000
  • NRA VICTORY FUND INC. $1,000
  • ON WISCONSIN PAC INC. $2,500
  • PAT MARSH FOR TN STATE REP $1,000
  • PATRIOTS IN ACTION $10K
  • PHILIPS NORTH AMERICA LLC POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
  • RANGER PAC $10K
  • RAPTOR PAC $10K
  • RAZOR PAC $1,000
  • RE-ELECT ROGERS C. ANDERSON $250
  • REACHING FOR A BRIGHTER AMERICA PAC $1,000
  • RED RIVER REPUBLICAN WOMEN CLUB PAC $500
  • REJOICE PAC $5,000
  • REPUBLICAN MAINSTREET PARTNERSHIP PAC $5,000
  • REPUBLICANS UNITED TO DEFEND YOU PAC $3,500
  • RESTORING OUR NATION PAC $5,000
  • REYNOLDS AMERICAN INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE; RAI PAC $2,500
  • ROBERT ADERHOLT FOR CONGRESS $4,000
  • RUDY FOR INDIANA $4,000
  • RURAL AMERICA COUNTS PAC (RAC PAC) $5,000
  • RVFPAC $2,000
  • RWA FUND INC. $3,500
  • SAFARI CLUB INTERNATIONAL PAC (SCI-PAC) $5,000
  • SCALISE FOR CONGRESS $4,000
  • SCIENCE APPLICATIONS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION VOLUNTARY POL $2,500
  • SEAL PAC SUPPORTING ELECTING AMERICAN LEADERS PAC $10K
  • SECURING THE REPUBLIC FOR OUR NEXT GENERATION $1,000
  • SENATE CONSERVATIVES FUND $5,000
  • SENATE EAGLE PAC $10K
  • SPACE COAST LEADERSHIP PAC $9,000
  • SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP. PAC $15K
  • SPEAK UP AMERICA POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
  • TENNESSEE BANKERS ASSOCIATION FEDERAL POLITICAL ACTION COMMI $10K
  • TENNESSEE ROAD BUILDERS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITT $2,500
  • TENNESSEE TOUGH PAC $2,000
  • TEXANS FOR JODEY ARRINGTON $2,000
  • TEXAS MORTGAGE BANKERS ASSOCIATION FEDERAL PAC $1,000
  • TEXAS VALUES PAC $5,000
  • TEXTRON INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,000
  • THE BOEING COMPANY PAC $3,500
  • THE EYE OF THE TIGER POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $10K
  • TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA INC POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE ( $3,000
  • TRACTOR SUPPLY COMPANY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $15K
  • TRUTH IS MARKETS WORK FUND $5,000
  • UNITED PARCEL SERVICE INC. PAC (UPSPAC) $1,000
  • VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (VER $1,000
  • VINCE FONG FOR CONGRESS $2,500
  • VISA INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,500
  • WAR VETERANS FUND PAC $3,000
  • WASTE MANAGEMENT EMPLOYEES BETTER GOVERNMENT FUND $2,500
  • WITH HONOR PAC $5,000

All filings at the FEC ↗

No campaign ads analyzed for this race yet.

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