Who's running in Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district
2 candidates are on the ballot. Below is what each one says they stand for, what they have actually done in office or in public life, and the arguments published for and against them — each quoted from a named source rather than summarised by us.
2 candidates · ballot order · Rob Bresnahan currently holds this seat
Medium confidenceMedium confidenceThe candidate's stated positions and basic record are documented, but coverage is thin — often little independent reporting, or criticism from only one side.What would raise it: More independent reporting, a documented voting record, or published criticism from a named opponent would raise this.
What they say they stand for
Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.
Banning members of Congress from buying and selling individual stocks; he introduced legislation to do it.
Cutting taxes and reducing federal spending.
Border security and immigration enforcement.
Second Amendment rights.
Job creation in north-eastern Pennsylvania, drawing on his construction business background.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
U.S. Representative for the 8th District since January 2025; flipped the seat in 2024.
Executive of a family construction company in Luzerne County before Congress.
Made almost 650 individual stock trades during 2025, including about 100 disclosed in the same month he introduced the congressional stock trading ban.
Traded shares in four companies that manage roughly half of all Medicaid accounts in the week before he voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which cut Medicaid funding.
Has disclosed no stock trades in 2026, according to federal records reviewed by Spotlight PA.
Endorsed for re-election by President Trump.
Arguments in favor
President Trump gave him what he called a complete and total endorsement, describing him as a businessman fighting to create jobs, cut taxes and secure the border.
— President Donald Trump
He is endorsed by the state police union, the federal employees' union and the Teamsters — labour backing unusual for a Republican in a swing district.
— Pennsylvania State Troopers Association, American Federation of Government Employees and the Pennsylvania Conference of Teamsters
Arguments against
He campaigned in 2024 calling it sickening that politicians make money in office and promised not to trade stocks, then made almost 650 individual trades in his first year — including in four companies that manage about half of all Medicaid accounts, days before voting for a bill that cut Medicaid. His opponent says he acted corruptly and lied repeatedly about it.
— Mayor Paige Cognetti, with reporting by the Philadelphia Inquirer, NOTUS and Spotlight PA
A former Republican congressman from Pennsylvania has called on him to resign over the stock trading.
— Former U.S. Rep. James Greenwood, a Republican
What we couldn’t verify
Bresnahan says he has delivered on his push for a congressional stock trading ban and has stopped trading; the disclosures confirm the trading stopped, and the bill has not become law.
Whether any of his 2025 trades broke a law, as opposed to his own campaign promise, was not established; no finding against him was located.
His response to the resignation call was not established from sources read.
Ethics in office and an end to what she calls corrupt behaviour in north-eastern Pennsylvania politics.
Protecting Medicaid and health coverage.
Union rights and working-class economic policy.
City-government experience applied to federal problems.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Mayor of Scranton since January 2020; first elected in a 2019 special election.
Former U.S. Treasury Department official and Scranton school board member.
Unopposed for the Democratic nomination in the May 19, 2026 primary.
Endorsed by at least eleven labour unions.
Received $5,000 from Blue Hen Federal PAC and $4,000 from House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark's committee, both of which themselves accept corporate PAC money, after pledging not to take corporate PAC money.
Arguments in favor
The governor of Pennsylvania campaigned with her on the first day of the general election and said he stands firmly with her.
— Gov. Josh Shapiro
Eleven labour unions have endorsed her, including AFSCME, the United Steelworkers, the Association of Flight Attendants, SMART and the SEIU Pennsylvania state council.
— AFSCME, United Steelworkers, Association of Flight Attendants, SMART and SEIU Pennsylvania State Council
Arguments against
The National Republican Congressional Committee says she has been a disaster for Scranton families — pointing to a 2017 school budget vote that cut 89 teaching positions while raising taxes, and to her cutting paid maternity leave for city employees in 2026 — and accuses her of leaving Scranton to campaign.
— National Republican Congressional Committee
The same committee says she pledged not to accept corporate PAC money and then took $5,000 from one federal PAC and $4,000 from the House Democratic Whip's committee, both of which accept corporate PAC donations.
— National Republican Congressional Committee
What we couldn’t verify
Both arguments against her come from the same source, the NRCC; her campaign's response to either was not located, and no independent reporting confirming the teacher-cut or maternity-leave characterisations was found.
Whether accepting money from PACs that themselves take corporate contributions breaks her pledge is a matter of how the pledge was worded; the wording was not established here.
Her positions on federal questions beyond ethics, health care and labour were not established from sources read.
Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.
Pennsylvania held its primary on May 19, 2026. Republican incumbent Rob Bresnahan, who flipped this seat in 2024, faces Scranton mayor Paige Cognetti, who was unopposed for the Democratic nomination. The district covers north-eastern Pennsylvania — Lackawanna, Wayne and Pike counties and most of Luzerne and Monroe — and is rated a toss-up. Bresnahan's stock trading has been the dominant issue of the race. Roster confirmed against Ballotpedia and Spotlight PA, WVIA and Philadelphia Inquirer reporting.
This is one contest on a longer ballot
A Pennsylvania ballot also carries state legislative districts, county offices, judicial seats and often local questions — and which of them you vote on is decided by your street address, not your city or ZIP code.
Your ballot is determined by your election authority, not by us. Verify your registration, precinct, and sample ballot at Pennsylvania Department of State.