Daniel Hunt, a longtime Republican activist and current State Republican Executive Committee member, announced his candidacy for Texas House District 8 in late July, setting up a primary challenge against incumbent Representative Cody Harris.
Hunt, who signed the Texas First Pledge, is positioning his campaign as a conservative alternative to Harris, whom he and supporters criticize for insufficient adherence to Republican Party principles. The race represents another test of grassroots conservative influence in Texas GOP primaries.
District Overview
Texas House District 8 encompasses rural and semi-rural areas of East Texas, including Anderson, Cherokee, Henderson, and Navarro counties. The solidly Republican district has been represented by Harris since his election in 2018.
Hunt’s campaign announcement framed the race as bringing “strong, conservative leadership back to East Texas” and criticized Harris for what Hunt characterizes as betraying conservative voters through support of large state budgets and inadequate property tax relief.
Harris has not yet responded to Hunt’s announcement or the criticisms leveled by his challenger.
Hunt’s Background
Hunt brings extensive experience in Republican Party politics spanning multiple decades and counties. He began his political involvement campaigning for Ronald Reagan’s re-election at age 19 in Tarrant County and later founded the Rutgers Law School Republican Club while attending law school in New Jersey.
His party leadership experience includes defeating an incumbent GOP County Chair in Johnson County in 2006, serving leadership roles in Tyler County where he wrote the county’s first party platform, and currently serving as Henderson County GOP Chairman since January 2020. Hunt has attended every Republican Party of Texas State Convention since 2004 and previously served as an Alternate Delegate to the 2012 Republican National Convention.
Professionally, Hunt has worked 21 years as both a prosecutor and defense attorney, experience that has included testifying before the Texas Legislature on legal matters.
Campaign Platform
Hunt’s platform emphasizes what he calls “adherence to the Republican Party Platform, Legislative Priorities, and Rules.” His campaign materials criticize Harris for voting patterns that Hunt characterizes as supporting “big government” policies, including the state’s $338 billion budget and what Hunt describes as minimal property tax relief.
“We need representatives who will fight for limited government and actually cut spending, not just talk about it during election season,” Hunt stated in his campaign announcement.
Hunt’s supporters on social media have referred to Harris as a “RINO” (Republican In Name Only) and expressed support for Hunt as being “MUCH better for the people of HD8” due to what they characterize as Harris’s policy betrayals.
Election Timeline
The 2026 Texas legislative elections follow the standard cycle, with candidate filing opening November 8, 2025, and a filing deadline of December 8, 2025. The Republican primary is scheduled for March 3, 2026, with early voting beginning February 17, 2026.
If no candidate receives a majority in the primary, a runoff election would be held May 26, 2026. The general election is scheduled for November 3, 2026.
As of August 1, 2025, no other candidates have announced for the HD 8 race beyond Hunt’s challenge to Harris.
Broader Context
Hunt’s candidacy reflects ongoing tensions within the Texas Republican Party between grassroots conservatives and establishment figures. His signing of the Texas First Pledge aligns him with a growing number of candidates who have committed to prioritizing Texas interests over federal demands and party establishment pressures.
The pledge typically includes commitments to oppose federal overreach, support Texas sovereignty, and work to restore the balance of power between states and the federal government.
Hunt’s challenge comes as several other Texas First Pledge signers have launched primary challenges against incumbent Republicans across the state, suggesting an organized effort by conservative activists to influence the direction of the Texas GOP.
The outcome in HD 8 will serve as another measure of grassroots conservative strength in Texas Republican primaries and may influence similar challenges in other districts.
More information about Hunt’s campaign is available at danielhunttx.com.
