Jay Fondren
Jay Fondren (Republican Party) is running for election to the U.S. House to represent Texas' 8th Congressional District. He is on the ballot in the Republican primary on March 3, 2026.[source]
Fondren completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Jay Fondren served in the U.S. Army from 2000 to 2005. He graduated from Corsicana High School. He earned a bachelor's degree from Dallas Baptist University in 2019. His career experience includes working as a nonprofit professional.[1]
2026 battleground election
Ballotpedia identified the March 3, 2026, Republican primary for Texas' 8th Congressional District as a battleground election. The summary below is from our coverage of this election, found here.
Six candidates are running in the Republican primary for Texas' 8th Congressional District on March 3, 2026. 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.[2][3] 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.[4] 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.[2] Steinmann is campaigning on her legal experience, saying she has "led the charge in conservative fights" through litigation.[2] 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."[2] Cruz, Luttrell, and Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) endorsed Steinmann.[5][6][7]
Tran is a small business owner and U.S. Army veteran.[8] 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.[9] Highlighting his career experience in the energy industry, he also says he would promote oil and gas production to improve the economy.[9] 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."[9] 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."[9] Former Republican Party of Texas chair Allen West (R) and Veterans for America First endorsed Tran.[10][11]
Also running in the primary are Jay Fondren (R), Brett Jensen (R), Stephen Long (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.
Elections
2026
See also: Texas' 8th Congressional District election, 2026
General election
The primary will occur on March 3, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 8
Keith Coleman and Laura Jones are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 8 on March 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Keith Coleman | |
 | Laura Jones | |
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 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 8
The following candidates are running in the Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 8 on March 3, 2026.
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| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Polls
- See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
We provide results for polls that are included in polling aggregation from RealClearPolitics, when available. We will regularly check for polling aggregation for this race and add polls here once available. To notify us of polls available for this race, please email us.
Election campaign finance
Candidate spending
| Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jay Fondren | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Brett Jensen | Republican Party | $1,612,229 | $1,199,189 | $413,040 | As of December 31, 2025 |
| Stephen Long | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Jessica Steinmann | Republican Party | $879,105 | $198,046 | $681,059 | As of December 31, 2025 |
| Nick Tran | Republican Party | $170,450 | $168,498 | $1,952 | As of December 31, 2025 |
| Deddrick Wilmer | Republican Party | $46,032 | $30,582 | $15,450 | As of December 31, 2025 |
|
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2026. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." |
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Satellite spending
- See also: Satellite spending
Satellite spending describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[12][13][14]
If available, this section includes links to online resources tracking satellite spending in this election. To notify us of a resource to add, email us.
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Endorsements
Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Jay Fondren completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Fondren's responses.
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For the last two decades, I have stood beside Warriors and families navigating the federal system—fighting for them, advocating for them, and helping them rebuild hope. I’ve lived firsthand what happens when government forgets who it serves. I’ve also seen the strength of local communities, churches, and families who step in where Washington falls short.
I am not running to join the political class. I am running because our liberties are under pressure, our border is broken, our children’s future is at stake, and career politicians have lost touch with the people they represent. I believe public office is a season of sacrifice, not a pathway to power. And I believe Texans deserve a representative who answers to them—not to Washington, not to donors, not to party bosses.
My commitment is simple: to honor God, defend liberty, serve with integrity, and stand for the people of Texas District 8 with a warrior’s resolve and a servant’s heart.- Servant Leadership, Not Career Politics Washington is full of people who treat public office like a ladder of privilege instead of a place of sacrifice. My life has never been about climbing—it's been about serving. From the battlefield to advocating for Veterans, I’ve learned that real leadership means showing up, listening, and putting others first. I’m not running to join the political class. I’m running because the people of this district deserve a representative who knows what service costs and who will carry that responsibility with humility, conviction, and courage.
- Protecting God-Given Liberty Our rights do not come from Washington—they come from the Lord who created us in His image. Government’s only legitimate role is to defend those freedoms, not manage every corner of our lives. When the federal government grows beyond its God-ordained limits, liberty shrinks, families weaken, and communities suffer. I am committed to restoring a proper balance—championing limited civil authority, safeguarding parental rights, defending life, protecting the rule of law, and ensuring that Texans live free, not under federal intrusion.
- Texas-First, Community-Focused Governance The strength of Texas District 8 is found in our families, churches, small businesses, ranches, timber, energy, and the countless neighbors who hold this community together. Decisions that shape our future should be made here, not dictated by distant agencies. I will work to secure our border, strengthen local economies, protect our natural resources, and return power back to where it belongs—our people. When Washington overreaches, Texans lose. When Texans lead, our communities flourish, our children thrive, and freedom endures.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
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Candidate U.S. House Texas District 8 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on January 28, 2026
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Jessica Steinmann 2026 campaign website, "Home," accessed November 2, 2025
- ↑ Maverick PAC, "Jessica Hart Steinmann - Class of 2017," accessed November 2, 2025
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Jessica Hart Steinmann," accessed November 2, 2025
- ↑ Facebook, "Jessica Hart Steinmann on September 22, 2025," accessed November 2, 2025
- ↑ Facebook, "Jessica Hart Steinmann on October 14, 2025," accessed November 2, 2025
- ↑ Jessica Hart Steinmann on September 16, 2025," accessed November 2, 2025
- ↑ Nick Tran 2026 campaign website, "About Me," accessed November 2, 2025
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Nick Tran 2026 campaign website, "Political Priorities," accessed November 2, 2025
- ↑ X, "Nick Tran on October 13, 2025," accessed November 2, 2025
- ↑ Facebook, "Nick Tran for Congress on October 23, 2025," accessed November 2, 2025
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," December 12, 2021
