John Lujan (R) and Carlos De La Cruz (R) were the top two finishers among the 11 candidates running in the Republican primary for Texas' 35th Congressional District on March 3, 2026. Because no candidate won more than 50% of the vote, Lujan and De La Cruz advanced to a runoff on May 26, 2026. Lujan, De La Cruz, Joshua Cortez (R), and Jay Furman (R) led in fundraising and media attention. Click here for detailed results.

The Texas Tribune's Kayla Guo described the 35th district as "one of five blue seats that were dismantled under new lines passed by the Legislature last week with the goal of electing more GOP members of Congress from Texas." Incumbent Greg Casar (D) ran for re-election in the new 37th Congressional District.

An Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales analysis of Texas' 2025 redistricting said of the 2026 version of the 35th District that "it’s possible that Democrats could get over the hump here, though probably only in a blue wave election. We are therefore changing our rating for this seat from Solid Democratic to Likely Republican."

Lujan was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 2021. Local political observers described Lujan as a strong general election candidate, with the San Antonio Report quoting Gov. Greg Abbott (R) as saying at a 2024 Lujan campaign rally: "I have always lost John Lujan’s district...So has [U.S. Sen. Ted] Cruz and [U.S. Sen. John] Cornyn and every other statewide candidate. The only person who can win that race as a Republican is John Lujan." Lujan said he "represents the very best of San Antonio and will be a dedicated voice for its citizens in Congress."

De La Cruz was a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force and the founder and owner of a kickboxing gym. De La Cruz was the brother of Rep. Monica De La Cruz (R). De La Cruz described himself as a "proud Air Force veteran, small businessman, husband, father, and conservative Texan with deep San Antonio roots." De La Cruz said he was running "to be President Trump’s wingman in Congress and take down the radical leftists who are destroying America." Rep. Monica De La Cruz (R) said of her brother, "I know how hard Carlos has worked his entire life...He is a fighter, a devoted husband, a loving father, and the most patriotic man I know. I’m confident he will bring the kind of strong, conservative leadership Washington desperately needs." President Donald Trump (R) endorsed De La Cruz on February 16, 2026.