Pennsylvania — 8th District

Paige Cognetti

Supports banning stock trading and corporate PACs

Cognetti centers her campaign on government reform, transparency, and rooting out waste and corruption. She promises to ban congressional stock trading, reject corporate PAC money, and perform targeted audits of federal spending. Her campaign actively criticizes her opponent over stock trades tied to local data center developments.

• Pledges to enact a ban on congressional stock trading
• Refuses corporate PAC contributions
• Advocates auditing federal agencies to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse

“A Ban on Congressional Stock Trading. No one should be able to use their public office to enrich themselves.”

“My public service career has been dedicated to rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in government.”

Rob Bresnahan Jr.

Supports term limits and legislative transparency

Bresnahan frames himself as an outsider fighting career politicians in Washington on behalf of Northeastern Pennsylvania. He signed the U.S. Term Limits pledge and supported federal transparency legislation, including voting for the Epstein Files Transparency Act (H.R. 4405).

• Signed the U.S. Term Limits pledge
• Voted Yea on the Epstein Files Transparency Act (H.R. 4405) requiring DOJ records publication

“I am running for Congress because career politicians have forgotten about people back home.”

Paige Cognetti

Supports anti-monopoly measures and targeted tariffs

Cognetti focuses on reducing household costs by targeting corporate monopolies that squeeze small businesses and consumers. She supports capping credit card fees, protecting local municipal funding, and replacing broad tariffs with targeted tariffs that protect domestic manufacturing.

• Break up big box monopolies to promote small business competition
• Cap credit card fees to reduce financial burdens on families
• Oppose broad tariffs while endorsing smart, targeted tariffs for local manufacturing

“Break up the huge monopolies that hurt our small businesses and raise costs.”

“Stop broad tariffs that help the big guys and hurt families, create smart targeted tariffs to protect manufacturing here.”

Rob Bresnahan Jr.

Supports tax cuts and spending restraint

Bresnahan attributes financial pressures on families to federal overspending and inflation under the Biden/Harris administration. He advocates cutting taxes, curbing federal spending, and supporting budget reconciliation measures such as H.R. 1 and H.Con.Res. 14.

• Stop reckless federal spending to lower inflation
• Cut taxes to allow workers to keep more earned income
• Voted Yea on the reconciliation bill H.R. 1 and the FY2025 budget resolution H.Con.Res. 14

“We need to stop the reckless spending, get inflation under control, and cut taxes so you can keep more of the money you earn for your family.”

Paige Cognetti

Supports reshoring manufacturing and union organizing

Cognetti advocates expanding domestic manufacturing in Northeastern Pennsylvania, particularly defense manufacturing. She supports streamlining permitting processes for infrastructure projects like passenger rail and passing legislation to strengthen labor unions.

• Reshore manufacturing jobs, including regional defense manufacturing
• Streamline permitting for major transit and infrastructure projects
• Pass laws to strengthen unions and facilitate union organizing

“Reshore manufacturing jobs, including continuing to add more defense manufacturing in Northeastern Pennsylvania.”

“Strengthen unions; make it easier to join and start a union.”

Rob Bresnahan Jr.

Supports small business growth and union jobs

Bresnahan emphasizes his career running a union electrical contracting firm that expanded union employment statewide. In Congress, he serves on the Transportation and Infrastructure and Small Business Committees, combining pro-business economic policies with widespread labor union endorsements.

• Highlights career experience expanding a union electrical business across Pennsylvania
• Serves on House Committees for Transportation & Infrastructure, Small Business, and Agriculture
• Endorsed by the US Chamber of Commerce, NFIB, Teamsters, and multiple IBEW union locals

“As a small business owner, I know what it takes to create good, family-sustaining jobs.”

Paige Cognetti

Supports direct funding for local police

Cognetti highlights her record as Scranton Mayor in funding and supporting local law enforcement. Her campaign advertising features local police endorsements emphasizing her independent investment in public safety.

• Invested municipal resources into local police departments to maintain community safety
• Features law enforcement officers highlighting her independent safety record

“NEW AD: Former Scranton Cop Highlights Paige Cognetti’s Independent Record of Investing in Local Law Enforcement to Keep NEPA Safe”

Rob Bresnahan Jr.

Supports law enforcement resources against fentanyl

Bresnahan promises to ensure police officers have the necessary federal resources to fight drug trafficking and the fentanyl crisis. He highlights personal charitable donations to local police and holds the endorsement of the Pennsylvania State Troopers Association.

• Provide law enforcement with resources to combat the fentanyl crisis
• Highlight history of private donations to local police departments
• Endorsed by the Pennsylvania State Troopers Association

“I will always stand with law enforcement and ensure they have the resources to combat the fentanyl crisis and keep our community safe.”

Rob Bresnahan Jr.

Supports border wall and strict enforcement

Bresnahan places border security among his top priorities, supporting border wall construction and reversing Biden/Harris immigration policies. In Congress, he consistently voted for enforcement measures, including the Laken Riley Act and DUI deportation legislation.

• Build the southern border wall and reverse current federal immigration policies
• Voted Yea on the Laken Riley Act (S. 5) to detain noncitizens arrested for burglary or theft
• Voted Yea on H.R. 875 making driving while impaired grounds for deportation or inadmissibility

“We must secure the border, build the wall, and reverse the Biden/Harris failed policies to stop the flow of illegal drugs and criminals into our communities.”

Paige Cognetti

Opposes unchecked AI data center development

Cognetti launched media campaigns targeting artificial intelligence data centers in Northeastern Pennsylvania, asserting that the district's land and resources are not for sale. She couples this stance with criticism of Bresnahan's financial trading around data center developments.

• Pledges to stand up to AI data center expansion in the region
• Criticizes incumbent for stock trading connected to data center growth

“we are not for sale”

Rob Bresnahan Jr.

Opposes benefit cuts and raising retirement age

Bresnahan guarantees protection for Social Security and Medicare, pledging never to cut benefits or raise the retirement age. He stresses that seniors paid into the system and the federal government must honor its commitment.

• Opposes raising the retirement age for Social Security
• Opposes any benefit reductions to Social Security or Medicare programs

“I will not support raising the retirement age or any benefit cuts to these programs.”

Paige Cognetti

Supports insurance reform and healthcare access

Cognetti advocates reforming healthcare insurance rules to prevent pharmacy middlemen from denying doctor-prescribed treatments. She emphasizes preserving healthcare marketplaces so small business employees can access coverage.

• Prohibit healthcare middlemen from overriding doctor-prescribed care and medications
• Maintain health insurance marketplace access for small business workers
• Reform insurance regulations to ensure policyholder protection during health emergencies

“Prevent healthcare industry middlemen from denying care and medications prescribed by doctors.”

“without access to a healthcare marketplace, many people cannot work at the small businesses they love.”

Rob Bresnahan Jr.

Supports mandatory voter citizenship proof

Bresnahan voted in favor of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act (H.R. 22) in April 2025, which mandates documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register for federal elections.

• Voted Yea on the SAVE Act (H.R. 22) requiring documentary proof of citizenship for federal election voter registration

“The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or the SAVE Act (H.R. 22), was a bill passed by the House of Representatives on 4/10/2025 that required individuals to provide documentary proof of citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections.”

Rob Bresnahan Jr.

Supports restricting nationwide judicial injunctions

Bresnahan voted for the No Rogue Rulings Act (NORRA of 2025, H.R. 1526), which restricts federal district courts from issuing nationwide injunctions, limiting relief strictly to the named litigants.

• Voted Yea on NORRA of 2025 (H.R. 1526) limiting federal district court injunctions to case parties

“The No Rogue Rulings Act, or NORRA of 2025 (H.R.1526), was a bill passed by the House of Representatives on 4/9/2025 that would limit the authority of federal district courts to issue injunctions”