Five candidates are running in the Republican primary for Texas' 8th Congressional District on March 3, 2026. The filing deadline is December 8, 2025. Two candidates lead in media attention and endorsements: Jessica Steinmann (R) and Nick Tran (R).
Incumbent Morgan Luttrell (R) is not running for re-election. For a list of U.S. Representatives who are not running for re-election in 2026, click here. The last time this district was open was 2022, when Luttrell was first elected.
Steinmann is an attorney and works as general counsel for the America First Policy Institute. She served as Director of the Office of Victims of Crime in the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) from 2020 to 2021 and previously worked for the office of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and the Texas House of Representatives. Steinmann says she would focus on family-related policies, highlighting her work in the DOJ addressing human trafficking and her litigation requiring transgender athletes to participate in sports based on their sex. Steinmann is campaigning on her legal experience, saying she has "led the charge in conservative fights" through litigation. Highlighting President Donald Trump (R) appointing her to the DOJ, Steinmann says she supports Trump’s policies and has "stood shoulder-to-shoulder with President Trump and the America First movement." Cruz, Luttrell, and Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) endorsed Steinmann.
Tran is a small business owner and U.S. Army veteran. Tran says he would focus on economic growth and reducing the cost of living by decreasing small business regulations, lowering taxes, and reducing federal spending. Highlighting his career experience in the energy industry, he also says he would promote oil and gas production to improve the economy. Tran says he would improve public safety by increasing funding for border patrol and law enforcement, as well as by "staunchly oppos[ing] legislation that restricts our right to bear arms." Tran is campaigning on his military service and says he would "create a system that honors our veterans, empowers them to succeed, and ensures that no one who served this great nation is left behind." Former Republican Party of Texas chair Allen West (R) and Veterans for America First endorsed Tran.
Also running in the primary are Jay Fondren (R), Brett Jensen (R), and Deddrick Wilmer (R).
As of November 2025, The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter, Inside Elections with Nathan Gonzales, and Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball each rated the general election Safe/Solid Republican. Luttrell won re-election in 2024 with 68% of the vote.
Texas conducted redistricting between the 2024 and 2026 elections. As a result, district lines in this state changed. To review how redistricting took place in Texas, click here. For a list of all states that drew new district lines between 2024 and 2026, click here.