Luttrell is an adjunct professor at Sam Houston State University,[5] of which he is an alumnus.[2] He also teaches law enforcement leadership.[5]
In 2019, Luttrell founded Trexxler Energy Solutions.[6] He is also the founder of Stronos Industries, which provides recyclable and biodegradable campaign signs.[7]
Luttrell served as a United States Navy SEAL. He volunteered and received orders for Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training (BUD/S) at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado in 2001. After months of training, Luttrell graduated from BUD/S class 237. After BUD/S, he completed advanced training courses including parachute training at Basic Airborne School, cold weather combat training in Kodiak, Alaska, and six months of SEAL Qualification Training (SQT) in Coronado, California. Luttrell received the Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC) 5326 as a Combatant Swimmer (SEAL), entitled to wear the Special Warfare Insignia. In 2007, he was commissioned as a Ensign after completing Officer Candidate School and received the 1130 designator as a Naval Special Warfare Officer.[8][9] He served as a SEAL for 14 years until being medically retired in 2014 for a severe traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury he sustained in a helicopter crash in 2009.[10][11] Luttrell travelled to Rosarito, Mexico to obtain psychedelic therapy (ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT) for his injuries, including "hyperaggression" in civilian life; he described the treatments as having "profound" results, with "it [being] like 20 years of therapy in three days."[12][13]
From 2017 to 2019, Luttrell was a senior advisor to Secretary Rick Perry in the United States Department of Energy.[14][15] At the Energy Department, Luttrell worked to keep U.S. energy industry globally competitive through the Artificial Intelligence and Technologies Office.[16]
During his campaign, Luttrell was supported by Rick Perry,[17] Congressman Dan Crenshaw (also a retired Navy SEAL), House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick,[18] the Congressional Leadership Fund,[19][20] and the American Patriots PAC, which was founded by McCarthy allies.[21] He garnered some notoriety from his brother Marcus, a veteran and the author of the memoir Lone Survivor. In total, there were 11 candidates in the Republican primary,[22] but Luttrell and Christian Collins, a conservative activist, were identified as the primary contenders since they both received significant political endorsements.[23] Collins was supported by U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, the House Freedom action fund, and avid Trump supporters such as Marjorie Taylor Greene and Madison Cawthorn.[24][25]The Texas Tribune described the race as "a tense proxy war, with some of the best-known Republicans in Texas—and the country—split between two of the leading candidates."[25][26] Luttrell has expressed support for Trump,[27] but he did request and receive campaign funds from a political PAC run by Adam Kinzinger, a major critic of Trump.[28] Luttrell and Collins ran on similar issues—securing the border, gun rights, and restricting abortion[25]—but Collins attempted to portray himself as the more pro-Trump candidate, accusing Luttrell of "lining up with the establishment".[25][29]Donald Trump did not make an endorsement in the race.[29]
Luttrell won the Republican primary with 52.2% of the vote, avoiding a runoff with Collins, who placed second with 22%.[30][31] The Democratic nominee in the general election was Laura Jones, the former Democratic Party chair of San Jacinto County.[29] Luttrell joined a lawsuit with several other congressional Republican candidates to remove Libertarian Party candidates, who are often perceived as threatening to Republican chances in tight elections, from the ballot.[32]FiveThirtyEight rated Luttrell "very likely" to win the election.[33] He was endorsed by the editorial board of the Houston Chronicle.[34] On November 8, 2022, Luttrell defeated Jones in the general election by 68% to 31%.[35]