The action is intensifying in the GOP primary special election for the seventh congressional seat vacated by former Congressman Mark Green.  A PAC affiliated with the House Freedom Caucus, House Freedom Action (HFA), has launched a new website highlighting Matt Van Epps’ involvement in Governor Bill Lee’s COVID-19 response efforts. The site, tennfauci.com, focuses on his role in closing schools, churches, and impacting national guardsmen in the state as part of the Governor’s COVID team.

The site accuses Van Epps of hiding his actions as Tennessee’s Fauci, including scrubbing “COVID Czar” from his résumé. Van Epps has defended his role in leading the Governor’s efforts to contend with the COVID pandemic in recent forums and debates. He has claimed that as a former “military special operator, “ he was simply completing the mission for which the governor assigned him. Asked at the recent Davidson County Republican Party forum whether he considered resigning from the task force rather than implementing the school and church lockdowns, he stated, “Special operators don’t quit,” citing his service in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment in Clarksville.

The TennFauci site also emphasizes and contrasts the actions of Rep. Jody Barrett (who is also seeking the Republican nomination) in opposing the lockdowns, noting that Barrett led protests against them, while Van Epps promoted them. “Jody Barrett stood up to the Van Epps lockdowns because Jody Barrett always defends freedom,” the website states. 

Early voting in the Republican primary will continue through Oct. 2, with the primary election scheduled for Oct 7. The general election date for the 14 counties in the seventh congressional district will take place on Dec. 2.

Steve Gill is editor and publisher of TriStar Daily.