Who's running in Texas's 8th congressional district
2 candidates are on the ballot. Below is what each one says they stand for, what they have actually done in office or in public life, and the arguments published for and against them — each quoted from a named source rather than summarised by us.
Medium confidenceMedium confidenceThe candidate's stated positions and basic record are documented, but coverage is thin — often little independent reporting, or criticism from only one side.What would raise it: More independent reporting, a documented voting record, or published criticism from a named opponent would raise this.
What they say they stand for
Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.
Completing the border wall and ending catch-and-release immigration policies.
Election integrity measures; she helped draft the Texas 2021 election law and has litigated on election monitoring.
Parental rights in schools and opposition to transgender participation in girls' sports.
American oil and gas production, and ending what she calls crippling restrictions on it.
Religious liberty and opposition to what she describes as woke ideology in universities and government.
American leadership in artificial intelligence and a pro-innovation approach to digital assets.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Director of the Office for Victims of Crime at the U.S. Department of Justice under President Trump, overseeing nearly $9 billion in funding.
Executive general counsel at the America First Policy Institute.
Worked in the office of Senator Ted Cruz.
Helped draft the Texas election integrity law of 2021 and led litigation on election monitoring and voter access.
Endorsed by President Donald Trump.
Won the March 3, 2026 Republican primary; appears on the ballot as Jessica Hart Steinmann.
Has not held elected office.
Arguments in favor
She has run a large federal programme, not just a campaign: as Director of the Office of Victims of Crime at the Justice Department she "oversaw nearly $9 billion and awarded over $2.5 billion in 2020 to support victims of crime."
— Jessica Steinmann's campaign
She helped draft Texas's 2021 election law and led litigation on election integrity nationally, and brought the case with Riley Gaines suing Oregon over a transgender athlete in girls' track. Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and the retiring member all endorsed her.
— Jessica Steinmann's campaign, with endorsements reported by The Texan
Arguments against
Her campaign is about national politics rather than this district: her "entire website basically reads as, 'Trump, Trump, Trumppity, Trump'", with nothing specific to the exurbs she would represent.
— Lone Star Left, a progressive Texas outlet, in its interview with Laura Jones
What we couldn’t verify
The same piece characterised elements of her positions as echoing "white nationalist currents"; that claim is recorded here rather than presented as an argument, because no substantiation for it was found in the sources located.
She has held no elected office, so there is no voting record to set against her campaign's positions.
The Houston Chronicle editorial board recommended a different candidate, Deddrick Wilmer, in the Republican primary; its reasoning could not be retrieved.
Affordability and living wages: she argues anyone working forty hours a week should be able to afford basic essentials.
Raising the federal minimum wage and indexing it to the cost of living.
Medicare for All, and treating health care as a right rather than an employment benefit.
Government negotiation of prescription drug prices.
Lower taxes for most people and higher taxes on billionaires and large corporations, with the revenue going to housing, education and infrastructure.
Reproductive rights.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Small business owner; Army mother; based in Coldspring, Texas.
Has not held elected office.
Won the March 3, 2026 Democratic primary.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
No published criticism of Jones by name could be found: not from Jessica Steinmann or her campaign, not from the National Republican Congressional Committee, not from her Democratic primary opponent, and not from Houston news coverage. Because no case against her exists on the record, none is presented for her either, rather than showing her own campaign's case unanswered.
This is her fourth run for the seat; she lost to Morgan Luttrell by more than 30 points in 2022 and 2024 and has replaced her earlier moderate message with a platform of Medicare for All, fully funded education, free community college and abolishing ICE. No published criticism framed around that record was found.
The Houston Chronicle editorial board endorsed her in the Democratic primary.
Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.
This seat is open: Republican incumbent Morgan Luttrell is not seeking re-election. Jessica Steinmann won the Republican nomination and Laura Jones the Democratic one in the March 3, 2026 primary. The district was redrawn in Texas's 2025 mid-decade redistricting and covers the northern and northwestern exurbs of Houston including Conroe, Willis, Magnolia and part of Huntsville, plus parts of west Houston; it gave Donald Trump 63.2% in 2024. Roster confirmed against the Texas Secretary of State's certified ballot. Arguments are shown for Steinmann, who has been criticised by name in the press. No published criticism of Jones by name was found, so neither column is filled for her; her positions and record are in her profile.
This is one contest on a longer ballot
A Texas ballot also carries state legislative districts, county offices, judicial seats and often local questions — and which of them you vote on is decided by your street address, not your city or ZIP code.