Matt Van Epps, former commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services and current Republican candidate in the special election for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District, received the endorsement of Dickson County Mayor Bob Rial on Thursday – adding to the growing list of local officials across the district backing his campaign.
Rial, who is serving in his fourth term as Dickson County mayor, said after hearing from all of the candidates seeking the Republican nomination for the 7th District, he believes Van Epps is “the person for the job.”
“I’ve spent most of my life serving Dickson County and I know what our community needs to succeed…[Van Epps] has shown a commitment to our first responders, our veterans and our farmers, and I know he will be a strong and effective voice for Dickson County and Tennessee in Washington,” Rial said in a statement released by Van Epps’ campaign.
“I’m proud to give Matt Van Epps my full support,” Rial added.
Rial joins 20 other local officials across the 7th District who have endorsed Van Epps’ congressional bid, which include District Attorney General Robert Nash, Cheatham County Mayor Kerry McCarver, Stewart County Mayor Boo Beecham, Robertson County Sheriff Mike Van Dyke, Stewart County Sheriff Frankie Gray, and Former Cheatham County Sheriff Mike Breedlove.
Van Epps has also been endorsed by retired U.S. Rep. Mark Green (R-TN-07), who served the 7th District in Congress since 2019 before vacating the seat last month.
“I’m incredibly grateful to have the endorsement of Mayor Bob Rial, along with so many respected leaders across the district. From Congressman Mark Green and District Attorney General Robert Nash, to mayors, sheriffs, commissioners, and community leaders, this growing coalition shows the strength and momentum of our campaign,” Van Epps said in a statement exclusively obtained by The Tennessee Star.
“These are men and women who know their communities best, and their support means everything. Together, we will fight for our first responders, our farmers, our veterans, and every Tennessean who deserves a strong, conservative voice in Washington,” he added.
Van Epps held multiple roles in the administration of Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, including deputy chief operating officer in the Governor’s Office, assistant director of procurement and contracts with the Tennessee Department of Transportation, assistant commissioner with the Tennessee Department of Veterans Services, and most recently as Department of General Services commissioner.
Prior to serving in the Lee administration, Van Epps graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point as a commissioned officer and served nine combat deployments, including eight deployments as a Night Stalker helicopter pilot with Clarksville’s 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment – the same special operations unit Green served in.
Van Epps continues to serve in the Tennessee Army National Guard after 10 years of Active Duty service.
As a U.S. Army veteran, Van Epps has made improving the lives of veterans and their families a central focus of his campaign’s policy priorities.
Van Epps said among the first bills he would introduce if elected to Congress would work to expand programs that help veterans transition into civilian life – pointing to a fellowship he helped create in state government that placed veterans into leadership roles.
“That’s the kind of thing I want to broaden and help veterans as they leave [active duty],” Van Epps said on The Michael Patrick Leahy Show.
Van Epps also proposed offering tax incentives, such as 12 months of tax-free status, for veterans after leaving service and further supporting military spouses with regard to childcare and workforce access.
“I think working to help veterans…is the right thing to do, and will be one of my initial efforts,” he said.
The Republican primary in the special election to fill the seat for Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District will take place on Tuesday, October 7.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Matt Van Epps” by Matt Van Epps.
