CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Two days after Congressman Mark Green of Clarksville announced he’s resigning from Congress, three other Republican military veterans have put their hats in the ring to replace him.
Green, who has represented U.S. House District 7 since 2019, announced Monday that he has accepted a job in the private sector that was “too exciting to pass up.” Members of Congress are prohibited from outside employment that pays more than $31,815. Green said he will resign after the House completes work on the budget. That could come in weeks or several months. Once Green’s last day is determined, Gov. Bill Lee will call for the special election, scheduling a primary and general election.
While several more announcements are expected, here’s who has stepped up so far in the immediate surge:
Matt Van Epps of Nashville: Van Epps was appointed commissioner of the Tennessee Department of General Services by Gov. Bill Lee last year, but he resigned effective Tuesday to focus on his campaign, according to the Nashville Banner. Calling himself a “decorated combat veteran and West Point graduate,” the Republican previously served in the Governor’s Office as deputy chief operating officer.
For more: Matt Van Epps website.
Jason Knight of Clarksville: Montgomery County commissioner and former City Council member Knight announced his candidacy Wednesday morning. Knight, a veteran of the 101st Airborne Division who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, continues to serve as a major in the Army Reserves. A small-business owner and Republican, he touted himself as a “staunch constitutionalist and a proven conservative.”
For more: Jason Knight website.
Jon Thorp of Springfield: Calling himself a “combat veteran and political outsider,” the military retiree reaffirmed his candidacy on Tuesday. Thorp, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, said he filed earlier this year as a Republican but emphasized “independence from party machines” and said he’s running under the Liberty Reset movement, for a return to “fiscal sanity.”
For more: Jon Thorp website.
U.S. House District 7 covers the western portion of Middle Tennessee, spanning from the Kentucky state line to the Alabama state line. It includes Montgomery County and portions of Nashville/Davidson County and Williamson County.
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