(The Center Square) – Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti will officially face off against Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan in November for Pennsylvania’s 8th congressional district.
Bresnahan, an electrical contractor, flipped the region – which covers five counties along the borders of New York and New Jersey – in 2024, unseating a six-term incumbent Democrat and shifting the state’s congressional delegation 10-7 Republican.
And ever since, Democrats have had their sights set on reclaiming the seat, pouring millions into vulnerable seats across the state. Cognetti has raised $ 3.1 million since entering the race in September. Earlier this year, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee earmarked the race for focused support – one of four in the commonwealth.
Both candidates added to their campaign cash on hand over the last three months, although the advantage that Bresnahan held entering the year has also started to narrow.
As of April 30, Bresnahan’s campaign had $2.27 million on hand, while Cognetti’s campaign carried $2.25 million one day before the beginning of May.
At a similar point in the previous campaign cycle, Cartwright, the incumbent, held a much larger cash-on-hand advantage. In April 2024, Cartwright’s campaign had $3.15 million on hand, while Bresnahan’s campaign had just under $835,000.
Bresnahan’s campaign has outspent Cognetti’s last month. From the beginning of April until the 29th of the same month, his campaign spent $255,000, while her campaign spent just under $170,000. Since the beginning of 2026, Bresnahan’s campaign has spent $685,000, while Cognetti’s has spent just over $510,000.
It’s anticipated to be a close contest in November, with the Cook Political Report deeming the race a “toss up.”
John Cole contributed to this report.
