Pennsylvania 8th District Voter Guide: Bresnahan and Cognetti on Health Care and Immigration
Two candidates are on the Nov. 3 ballot in Pennsylvania's 8th Congressional District: Republican U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan Jr., who is seeking a second term, and Democrat Paige Cognetti, the mayor of Scranton. The Digital Free Press voter guide video compares where they stand on health care and immigration.
The district covers all of Lackawanna, Wayne and Pike counties and parts of Luzerne and Monroe counties in the northeast corner of the state. Bresnahan won the seat in 2024, defeating Democratic Rep. Matt Cartwright 50.8% to 49.2%.
National forecasters rate the race as competitive. The Cook Political Report rates it a toss-up, Inside Elections rates it Tilt Democrat, and Sabato's Crystal Ball moved it to Leans Democratic on Oct. 27, according to PoliticsPA. An Inquirer/New York Times/Siena poll of about 400 likely voters, taken Oct. 16 to 22, had Cognetti at 51% and Bresnahan at 46%, a lead within the margin of error. Candidates and outside groups had bought about $28 million in ads as of Oct. 12, WVIA reported, citing AdImpact.
Why Health Care and Immigration Are Issues
The enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits expired on Dec. 31, 2025. Bresnahan has said about 28,000 people in his district rely on them. The 2025 budget law, the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," signed July 4, 2025, included nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts over the next decade, Spotlight PA reported. On immigration, both candidates were asked at an Oct. 23 forum hosted by the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce how deportations affect local employers, many of which rely on immigrant workers, The Times-Tribune reported. In June, the Department of Homeland Security dropped plans to turn warehouses in Schuylkill and Berks counties into ICE detention centers, according to Sen. John Fetterman's office.
Rob Bresnahan (Republican, Incumbent)
Bresnahan, of Dallas Township, is a businessman who took over his grandfather's union electrical contracting company at 19, according to his campaign. He serves on the House Transportation and Infrastructure, Agriculture, and Small Business committees.
On health care, the video says Bresnahan "voted to extend Affordable Care Act premium subsidies for three years" and "also voted for the budget law that cut Medicaid." Both points match the record. In January, he voted for H.R. 1834, a three-year extension of the enhanced credits that passed the House 230-196, after becoming one of four Republicans to sign a discharge petition filed by House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries that forced the vote. "Obamacare has failed to deliver on its promise of lowering insurance costs," he said at the time, "but the only thing worse than a three-year extension of these credits is to let them expire with no solution or off-ramp." He also voted for the 2025 budget law. His campaign site says he will not support "raising the retirement age or any benefit cuts" to Social Security and Medicare. At the Oct. 23 forum, he said "it comes back down onto the insurance companies themselves that are the most frustrating to deal with," according to the Times Leader.
Spotlight PA reported that Bresnahan sold up to $130,000 in stocks of four companies that oversaw about half of Medicaid managed care organizations before he voted for the budget law; he said a financial advisor made those trades, and he has since stopped trading.
On immigration, the video says Bresnahan "supports a border wall and voted to increase ICE funding." His campaign site says, "We must secure the border, build the wall, and reverse the Biden/Harris failed policies." In June, he voted for the Secure America Act, which provides long-term funding for ICE and Customs and Border Protection and passed the House 214-212, according to his House office. At the forum, he said "violent criminals, criminal aliens, rapists, drug dealers" should be deported, but "You can't eliminate the entire workforce in the process," and he backed visas for agriculture and hospitality workers, The Times-Tribune reported. The video also says he opposes taxpayer-funded relocation of undocumented immigrants; The Digital Free Press did not find that position in his own statements.
Paige Cognetti (Democrat)
Cognetti has been mayor of Scranton since winning a 2019 special election as an independent after the previous mayor resigned and pleaded guilty to federal charges. She was the first woman elected mayor of the city and won a full term as a Democrat in 2021 with more than 71% of the vote, according to her campaign. She previously worked for the Pennsylvania auditor general and served on the Scranton School Board.
On health care, the video says Cognetti "supports fully funding Affordable Care Act premium subsidies" and "opposes Medicaid cuts." Her campaign site pledges to "prevent healthcare industry middlemen from denying care and medications prescribed by doctors." She has said Democrats should reverse parts of the 2025 budget law, Spotlight PA reported. At the Oct. 23 forum, she said, "Rob Bresnahan voted to cut a trillion dollars out of the Medicaid system," and claimed 9,000 people in the region have already lost coverage, with at least 20,000 more expected to lose it next year, according to the Times Leader. Those figures are her claim and were not independently verified.
Cognetti says she will not accept corporate PAC money. Spotlight PA reported that she has taken donations from political committees that themselves receive corporate PAC money.
On immigration, the video says Cognetti "calls for a secure border and citizenship paths for dreamers and essential workers." At the forum, she said "the Biden administration failed at the border," adding, "We need a secure border, and I'm very pleased that we have shored that up." She also said people "working hard, paying into the system" should have "a pathway to becoming citizens," while "what we can't have is violent criminals at all," the Times Leader reported. In 2021, she was among more than 80 mayors who signed a letter calling for a path to citizenship for Dreamers and essential immigrant workers, The Times-Tribune reported. The video also says she opposes buying large detention warehouses; The Digital Free Press did not find that statement in her own materials.
Where to Follow the Candidates
Rob Bresnahan: @Rob4PA (campaign) and @RepBresnahan (House office) on X. Paige Cognetti: @PaigeGCognetti on X.
The two candidates are scheduled to debate on WVIA at 7 p.m. on Oct. 29.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. This guide is for information only; The Digital Free Press does not endorse any candidate.
Yossi Schmidt, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, The Digital Free Press
Hold Everyone Accountable.
Sources: Spotlight PA, "Pa. election 2026: Where Bresnahan, Cognetti stand on campaign finance reform, anti-corruption policies": https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/pa-election-2026-where-bresnahan-184001471.html ; Spotlight PA, "Where Bresnahan, Cognetti stand on tax" policy: https://www.spotlightpa.org/news/2026/09/rob-bresnahan-paige-cognetti-economy-midterm-election-guide-elections/ ; Times Leader, forum coverage: https://www.timesleader.com/news/1763325/election-2026-8th-congressional-district-candidates-bresnahan-cognetti-answer-questions-at-forum ; The Times-Tribune, "Scranton Chamber questions Bresnahan, Cognetti" (Oct. 23, 2026): https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/2026/10/23/scranton-chamber-questions-bresnahan-cognetti-in-congressional-campaign/ ; The Times-Tribune (July 26, 2021): https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/2021/07/26/cognetti-other-mayors-call-for-path-to-citizenship-for-millions-of-undocumented-immigrants-including-essential-workers/ ; Rep. Bresnahan, ACA tax credits: http://bresnahan.house.gov/media/in-the-news/bresnahan-discusses-decision-sign-discharge-petitions-extend-aca-premium-tax ; Rep. Bresnahan, Border Security: http://bresnahan.house.gov/issues/border-security ; Rob for PA campaign: https://robforpa.com/ ; Paige Cognetti campaign, Priorities: https://paigeforpa.com/priorities/ ; Paige Cognetti campaign, Meet Paige: https://paigeforpa.com/meet-paige-cognetti/ ; The Philadelphia Inquirer, poll (Oct. 25, 2026): https://www.inquirer.com/politics/pennsylvania/brooks-cognetti-mackenzie-bresnahan-pennsylvania-swing-seats-midterms-20261025.html ; PoliticsPA, Sabato's Crystal Ball (Oct. 27, 2026): https://politicspa.com/sabatos-crystal-ball-moves-two-more-pennsylvania-congressional-races-left/154555/ ; Inside Elections, Rob Bresnahan: https://insideelections.com/person/rob-bresnahan/ ; WVIA, ad spending (Oct. 27, 2026): https://www.wvia.org/news/local/2026-10-27/cognetti-bresnahan-race-ranks-in-top-10-for-ad-spending-among-tossup-congressional-contests-nationwide ; Sen. John Fetterman (June 22, 2026): https://www.fetterman.senate.gov/fetterman-statement-on-dhs-cancelling-pennsylvania-ice-detention-center-plans/ ; NBC News, 2024 results: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-elections/pennsylvania-us-house-district-8-results
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