> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.huntsvillan.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Walker County has twenty-seven Congressional candidates - URL: https://www.huntsvillan.com/walker-county-has-twenty-seven-congressional-candidates/ - Published: 2026-01-12T21:48:02.000Z - Updated: 2026-02-08T08:43:38.000Z - Description: We are not making this up. - Author: Steph Mamber The people running for Congress in Walker County this year could form three baseball teams. There are twenty-seven candidates total – none of whom have even been so much as county commissioner. It is the result of a perfect storm. Mid-decade redistricting split Walker County into two new, reconfigured Congressional districts in which both incumbents decided to step down. This set off free-for-alls in the Democratic and Republican primaries in both districts. Most of these primaries have at least five candidates, and early voting is just five weeks away. With hundreds of thousands of voters in each district, Congressional races are hard enough without having to get out your message in a crowded field in a matter of weeks. Redistricting has made the situation worse. In the quest for partisan advantage, the Texas Legislature has made Congressional districts spindlier, winding and weaving every which way. The southeastern section of Walker County is in the 8th district, which curls around to the west of Houston. The rest of the county is in the 10th district, which stretches from west of Austin all the way over to Livingston. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/45/95/45959c34-5dee-4d85-8f61-0c88439f0a1c/content/images/2026/01/District-Map-Closer-1.jpg) The new districts split Huntsville almost right down the middle. This has consequences. For candidates, it reduces the value of local reputation – no one in Austin or College Station will know that you have served well in office in Livingston – and makes it harder to travel the district and meet voters in person. It also raises the importance of money and connections. According to the [Federal](https://www.fec.gov/data/elections/house/TX/8/2026/?ref=huntsvillan.com) Election [Commission](https://www.fec.gov/data/elections/house/TX/10/2026/?ref=huntsvillan.com), one candidate has raised over half a million dollars; many others are broke. Similarly, no favorite has ever held elective office, but all are well-connected in one fashion or another. You do not need *The Huntsvillan* to tell you how to vote. No, you need *The Huntsvillan* to link to each candidate's web site so you can visit it and decide for yourself. Two minutes there tells you a lot – the candidate's background, what they care about, whether they are ready for prime time. These links are provided (when available) in the previews of each primary below. In order to avoid "horse-race" coverage, front-runners or establishment-preferred candidates are not identified as such. ## The grudge match: District 8 Democrats With just two candidates, this is the only primary of the bunch that is sure not to go to a runoff. Former realtor Laura Jones, who previously ran in this district in 2020, 2022, and 2024, has a primary challenger gunning for her this year: Keith Coleman from Tomball. This race could get spicy! | Candidate | The Basics | Fun Fact | | --------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | [Keith Coleman](https://www.colemanfortexas.com/?ref=huntsvillan.com) | Former Marine from Tomball | Takes [direct aim](https://www.colemanfortexas.com/news/Texas-Democrats-Seek-Fresh-Faces-as-Leadership-Reacts-to-Repeat-Congressional-Can?ref=huntsvillan.com) at opponent | | [Laura Jones](https://www.laura4tx.com/?ref=huntsvillan.com) | Former realtor from San Jacinto County | Has campaigned all over suburban Houston for six years | ## The business of America is business: District 8 Republicans This six-candidate race is dominated by business types working in finance or oil and gas, some well-connected, some less so. A few have compelling personal histories. The difference in these folks' backgrounds is larger than the difference in their beliefs. | Candidate | The Basics | Fun Fact | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- | | [Jay Fondren](http://jayfondren.org/?ref=huntsvillan.com) | Veteran | Loves [semicolons](https://www.jayfondren.org/?ref=huntsvillan.com) | | [Brett Jensen](https://jensenfortexas.com/?ref=huntsvillan.com) | Houstonian, worked in oil and gas, now finance | Website sells “official capitalist gear” | | Stephen Long | | | | [Jessica Steinmann](https://www.jessicasteinmann.com/?ref=huntsvillan.com) | Politically connected Montgomery County lawyer | Suggested donations on website start at $1,000 | | [Nick Tran](https://nicktranfortexas.com/?ref=huntsvillan.com) | Veteran who worked in oil and gas | Harvard MBA who criticizes “the establishment” | | [Deddrick Wilmer](https://www.wilmerfortexas.com/?ref=huntsvillan.com) | Houstonian, Works in Real Estate Finance | Elected Director of Harris County Municipal Utility District 248 | ## The ideological rainbow: District 10 Democrats The five people in this primary are mostly from Central Texas, and run the gamut from quite progressive to fairly conservative. This primary probably has more ideological variation than any other. | Candidate | The Basics | Fun Fact | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | [Tayhlor Coleman](https://www.colemanforcongress.com/?ref=huntsvillan.com) | Lived out of her [van](https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/tayhlor-coleman-voter-registration-vanlife/?ref=huntsvillan.com)registering voters | Web site is just a picture of a road | | [Dawn Marshall](https://www.texasneedsdawn.com/?ref=huntsvillan.com) | Community college instructor from College Station | Wears flannel | | [Bernie Reyna ](https://tx10bernie.com/?ref=huntsvillan.com) | Veterinary technician from College Station | Introduced on his web site [by a dog](https://tx10bernie.com/?ref=huntsvillan.com) | | [Caitlin Rourk](https://www.caitlinrourk.com/?ref=huntsvillan.com) | Former Army officer from the Austin area | Campaign launch video criticizes the incumbent in a different district | | Linda Trevino | | | ## The street brawl: District 10 Republicans With fourteen candidates, this race is wide-open. With one exception – Huntsvillan Ben Bius – every candidate is from the western part of the district, mostly Austin and College Station. There are some real ones and some more polished types. A mere 10%-15% of the vote may be enough to make the runoff, which will generate interesting campaign dynamics. | Candidate | The Basics | Fun Fact | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | [Rob Altman](https://altmanfortexas.com/?ref=huntsvillan.com) | Veteran from College Station area | States current occupation as “senior leadership role” | | [Ben Bius](https://www.ben4congress.com/?ref=huntsvillan.com) | Businessman from Huntsville | Sued by the Federal government [early last year](https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/57515395/United%5FStates%5Fof%5FAmerica%5Fv%5FBius%5Fet%5Fal?ref=huntsvillan.com) | | [Robert Brown](https://www.brownfortexas.com/?ref=huntsvillan.com) | Retired from the business world | Wants all candidates for office to “[take ](https://www.brownfortexas.com/platform?ref=huntsvillan.com)[cognitive testing ](https://www.brownfortexas.com/platform?ref=huntsvillan.com)… so their mental acuity is public record” | | [Jenny Garcia Sharon](https://jennygarciasharon.com/home?ref=huntsvillan.com) | Can’t tell where she lives or works | “There is a reason healthcare is not mentioned in the Declaration of Independence” | | [Chris Gober](https://chrisgober.com/?ref=huntsvillan.com) | Politically-involved lawyer | Website has a 1458-word “communications and consent policy” | | [Brandon Hawbaker](https://brandonhawbaker.com/?ref=huntsvillan.com) | Software engineer who kind of lives off-grid | Tag line is “Let’s Go Brandon” | | [Christopher Hurt](https://www.chrisfortx10.com/?ref=huntsvillan.com) | | Expired website | | [Jessica ](https://www.jessicakforcongress.com/?ref=huntsvillan.com)[Karlsruher](https://www.jessicakforcongress.com/?ref=huntsvillan.com) | Advocate for real estate groups and credit unions from Austin | Family goes way back in Texas | | [Kara King](https://www.karakingforcongress.com/?ref=huntsvillan.com) | Mayor of Bee Cave, near Austin | Most unique campaign color scheme of all candidates | | Joshua Ross Lovell | | | | [Scott MacLeod](https://scott4tx.com/?ref=huntsvillan.com) | Veteran, tech CEO from Austin | Lowest suggested donation amount of all candidates, starting at $10 | | [Carl Segan](https://carlseganforcongress.com/?ref=huntsvillan.com) | Can’t tell where he’s from or what he does | Focused on health care | | Jeremy Story | Businessman seemingly from Bastrop | | | [Phil Suarez](https://www.philfortx.com/?ref=huntsvillan.com) | From College Station, seemingly works in real estate | Held first campaign event last February | Early voting begins Tuesday, Feb. 17, with election day on Tuesday, Mar. 3\. Runoffs, which are likely in the last three contests, would be held May 26. --- *The Huntsvillan* reached out to the presidents of the Walker County Democrats and the Walker County Republican Women inquiring about upcoming candidate forums or debates, but received no response from either as of press time. A tool [here](https://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/04/2025-texas-redistricting-maps/?ref=huntsvillan.com) let's you put in your exact address and see your current (2024 election) and upcoming (2026 election) Congressional districts.