Dear Matt Van Epps: Before You Campaign, You Owe Us Some Answers
You keep hearing it:
Matt Van Epps is sharp. Military vet. Seasoned. A doer. A guy who’s run the machine.
Great.
You hear he’s the résumé guy. West Point. Helicopter pilot. Bureaucratic sniper. Got it.
You hear he served under Gov. Bill Lee. And Gov. Lee, for all the mixed reviews, has had some solid moments. Fair enough.
And now? He wants your vote.
Van Epps was the first to jump into the race to replace Rep. Mark Green in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District. He announced fast, raised six figures in under three weeks, and rolled out a clean, conservative, America First message. He’s not the only one running—several state lawmakers and veterans are in the mix—but Van Epps made the early move, and his background, timing, and funding make him a serious contender.
But here’s the thing: one moment still lingers. One moment still defines the decade more than any other.
COVID.
And if Matthew Van Epps wants to represent Tennessee in Congress, he’s going to have to explain what he did during it. Because unlike some of the other suits who sat out, he was in the middle of it.
This isn’t about posturing. This isn’t about dragging Gov. Lee, and it’s not even really about Van Epps. It’s about what was done to us—and who did it.
And due to Van Epps’ role during that time, let’s just say it plainly—some critics refer to him as the “Tennessee Fauci.” That might sound exaggerated, but the comparison didn’t come from nowhere. Therefore, some transparency appears to be in order.
Matt Van Epps wasn’t in the background during COVID. He was deputy chief operating officer in the governor’s office. He was the strategic planner for the Unified Command Group. If there was a map, he helped draw it. If there were restrictions, he helped enforce them. If there were protocols, he helped build them.
And those protocols?
The Tennessee Pledge—a “voluntary” plan that still shut down businesses, distanced churches, and redefined essential vs. nonessential workers.
The mask rules, the capacity limits, the constant executive orders that bypassed the legislature.
The reopening guidance that strangled small business while leaving big-box retail wide open.
The state-paid McKinsey contract to evaluate COVID performance—later hidden from public view and only released by court order, after critics accused the state of shielding the report to avoid scrutiny over its failures in coordination, communication, and how decisions were made.
None of this was theoretical. These were real decisions that hurt Tennesseans. And Van Epps was right there.
So Here’s the Ask:
This isn’t about vengeance. It’s not about “canceling” a man’s service or attacking a patriot. It’s about accountability.
If Van Epps wants to go to Congress and represent the people of Tennessee, he needs to explain:
What did he believe at the time?
What decisions did he help shape or support?
With hindsight, does he stand by those choices?
And most importantly: What would he do differently if it happened again?
Because this isn’t “old news.”
Not for parents whose kids still haven’t caught up in school. Not for small-business owners who had to eat through savings or close their doors. Not for regular folks who remember being told to shut up, mask up and go home.
This is one of the most defining events of our generation—and the way it was handled matters.
So no, we’re not asking Matt Van Epps to hang his head. We’re just asking him to look us in the eye and tell us what he learned. Because the people of Tennessee deserve answers before they hand out power—not after.
If the “Tennessee Fauci” label is unfair, prove it. Tell us where you stood, what you did, and why you did it.
We don’t want perfect. We want honest. And we want it before the election, not after the swearing in.
Let’s hear it, Matt.