Steinmann Leads Race for Texas's 8th District
Republican Jessica Steinmann holds about a 10-point lead over Democrat Laura Jones with 91 percent of the vote counted.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Legislative Policy
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Jessica Steinmann is projected to defeat Laura Jones in Texas's 8th Congressional District, succeeding Rep. Morgan Luttrell, who is departing the House after one term. Steinmann leads by about 10 points with 91 percent of the vote counted.
Why it matters
The seat's new winner will fill the district that Texas lawmakers slightly redrew last year, changing its boundaries in the southeastern part of the state. Steinmann's win marks a continuation of her Republican primary victory in March.
With 91 percent of the vote counted, Steinmann leads Jones by about 10 points in the 8th District race. The remaining ballots had not been tallied at the time of reporting, so the final margin remains unconfirmed.
The players
Jessica Steinmann
A Republican former Justice Department official and America First Policy Institute lawyer who has been endorsed by President Trump and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
Morgan Luttrell
A Republican congressman who served one term representing Texas's 8th District before departing the House.
The details
Steinmann, a Republican who won the March primary, was director of the Justice Department's Office of Victims of Crime during Trump's first term and later executive general counsel at the America First Policy Institute. She has been endorsed by Trump, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, and Sen. Ted Cruz, and has pledged to bar transgender girls from women's sports.
Timeline
March: Steinmann wins the Republican primary.
2021: Texas adopts a voting-system law Steinmann helped draft.
November 4, 2026: Steinmann is projected winner over Laura Jones.
Legislative Policy
Steinmann helped draft Texas's 2021 voting-system law, so her election to Congress connects her directly to the state's recent election policy. Her record on the 2021 law and her positions on diversity programs could shape how she approaches federal legislation.
Voters in Texas's 8th District will see a new representative take office after the seat changes hands. Residents should check their district boundaries, as lawmakers redrew the district last year.
The takeaway
Watch the final count in Texas's 8th District, since the remaining 9 percent of ballots could still shift the margin between Steinmann and Jones.
Further reading
Explore more on Legislative Policy to see how Texas election and congressional decisions shape state law.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Hill.
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