Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti, the Democrat running to represent Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District, won her election on Tuesday.
She defeated incumbent Rep. Rob Bresnahan by close to 20 percentage points.
BREAKING: Democrat Paige Cognetti wins U.S. House race in Pennsylvania's 8th Congressional District, NBC News projects. https://t.co/5yfQ4MrSIS https://t.co/BRGcH1vU6x
— NBC News (@NBCNews) November 4, 2026
Bresnahan flipped the seat in 2024, defeating then-Rep. Matt Cartwright 50.7 percent to 49.1 percent, while President Donald Trump carried the district 53.8 percent to 45.4 percent, according to Ballotpedia News
Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti was first elected. She ran as an independent in 2019 after the incumbent mayor resigned before pleading guilty to federal corruption charges.
Cognetti cruised through the Democrat primary without opposition, as did Bresnahan.
Stock trading became a central issue in this race. Bresnahan executed 650 trades between January 2025 and February 2026 after saying he supported a ban on lawmakers trading stocks. "Public office should not be seen as a lifelong career, but as a service to your community and country," he said.
Congressman Rob Bresnahan is a terrific Representative of Pennsylvania's 8th Congressional District! A Highly Successful Businessman, Rob is working hard to Create Jobs, Cut Taxes and Regulations, and Unleash the American Dream. In Congress, Rob is fighting tirelessly to Keep our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Strengthen our Military, Support our Veterans, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment. Rob's opponent, Paige Cognetti, is a Radical Left Dumocrat who is opposed to NO TAX ON TIPS, NO TAX ON OVERTIME, and NO TAX ON SOCIAL SECURITY and, if she and the Dumocrats ever got in, all of these things will be terminated. She wants massive Tax Increases, Open Borders, Men playing in Women's Sports, and Transgender Mutilization of your Children. Paige Cognetti is Reckless, Radical, and Dangerous! Rob Bresnahan has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election. GET OUT AND VOTE FOR ROB — HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN! President DONALD J. TRUMP https://t.co/HKQjlZBPQg ( TS: Oct 31 2026, 2:13 PM ET )
— Commentary Donald J. Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) October 31, 2026
The candidate also reported dozens of trades around Trump's Liberation Day tariff announcement, and sold up to $130,000 in four Medicaid managed-care companies before voting for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Bresnahan defended himself, saying his financial adviser made those transactions. He said he has since stopped trading, and in May 2025 he introduced a House stock-trading ban.
Cook Political Report, DDHQ/The Hill, Inside Elections and Sabato's Crystal Ball rated the race a toss-up as of August 4, 2026.
Cognetti raised $2.48 million in the third quarter to Bresnahan's just under $965,000, and $7.09 million in the cycle to his $6.29 million, according to The Center Square.
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