![\"U.S.](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/STT-L-AGRITRADE-1104-03.jpg\")
U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan speaks before the Farmers for Free Trade round table discussion at Eckels Farm in Clarks Summit on Monday, Nov. 03, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA\/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)<\/p>\n
Cognetti, reelected last year to the office of Scranton mayor she\u2019s held since 2020, seeks the Democratic nomination for the 8th District seat in the May primary with an ultimate goal of unseating Bresnahan in November.<\/p>\n
They are the only two candidates for the seat to file campaign finance reports, per a review of filings available via the Federal Election Commission\u2019s website.<\/p>\n
Democrat Francis McHale of Scranton also seeks the Democratic nomination in the 8th District, but has yet to file with the FEC. He said he will after he files his nomination petitions in March to appear on the May primary ballot, noting he\u2019s likely to self-finance his primary campaign.<\/p>\n
Democrat Eric Bryan Stone filed in October a statement of candidacy with the FEC, but hasn\u2019t reported any campaign finances.<\/p>\n
The money<\/p>\n
Both Bresnahan\u2019s and Cognetti\u2019s respective committees \u2014 Rob for PA and Paige for PA \u2014 filed late last month financial reports covering a period from the beginning of October through the end of December. It was the fourth quarterly filing of 2025 for Bresnahan and the second for Cognetti, who launched her congressional campaign<\/a> in early September.<\/p>\n The filings include total receipts and total disbursements, essentially money raised and money spent. Total receipts reflect contributions and other forms of support received, while total disbursements account for purchases and payments. More granular information on individual and committee contributions, and on individual contributors, is available at fec.gov<\/a>.<\/p>\n Cognetti\u2019s campaign got off to a strong start after she announced her candidacy in early September, raising just over $500,000 in less than a month, but Bresnahan has benefited from a longer fundraising window.<\/p>\n He raised $675,972.23 in the fourth quarter of last year and almost $3.1 million total this election cycle through the end of December, his most recent campaign finance filing<\/a> shows. Regarding disbursements, Bresnahan reported spending almost $1.75 million this cycle, including $311,865.29 in the last three months of 2025.<\/p>\n Cognetti raised slightly less in the fourth quarter, $646,848.25, and spent slightly less, $283,136.73. She has reported<\/a> raising almost $1.15 million this election cycle through the end of 2025 and spending $340,428.76.<\/p>\n In terms of cash on hand, Bresnahan reported almost $1.44 million at the close of the last reporting period compared to Cognetti\u2019s $806,678.49.<\/p>\n The figures will continue to fluctuate as donors fill campaign coffers and the campaigns spend on ads, fundraisers and other expenses as the midterm race heats up in the district that includes all of Lackawanna, Wayne and Pike and parts of Luzerne and Monroe counties.<\/p>\n The race<\/p>\n Asked about her financial totals, Congetti\u2019s campaign sent a statement that again took aim at Bresnahan\u2019s controversial stock trading while in office. She has also blasted the first-term congressman for supporting President Donald Trump\u2019s signature One Big Beautiful Bill Act given its substantial changes and cuts to Medicaid.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m grateful for the outpouring of support we\u2019ve received for our campaign to take on corruption in Washington and build a government that works as hard as the people it\u2019s supposed to serve,\u201d Cognetti said in the statement. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t my plan to run for Congress, but I couldn\u2019t sit by while Congressman Rob Bresnahan used his office to trade hundreds of stocks and vote to hurt our community. With the support of hardworking people all across our community and the endorsement of leaders like Governor Josh Shapiro, we are building a campaign that puts NEPA first.\u201d<\/p>\n Bresnahan\u2019s campaign criticized last year Cognetti\u2019s decision to launch her \u201cvanity campaign\u201d for Congress amid her mayoral reelection campaign, with a campaign spokesman calling her a \u201cfar-left extremist who has backed a radical agenda.\u201d His campaign did not immediately respond to an email about its financial figures.<\/p>\n Cognetti picked up Shapiro\u2019s endorsement last week, months after Trump endorsed Bresnahan\u2019s reelection bid in an early November post on his Truth Social platform.<\/p>\n \u201cMayor Paige Cognetti has been a fighter for Scranton \u2014 taking on corruption, making government faster and more efficient, and bringing people together to get stuff done for hard working families,\u201d Shapiro said in a recent endorsement announcement.<\/p>\n Trump called Bresnahan a \u201chighly successful businessman,\u201d noting he\u2019s \u201cworking hard to Create Jobs, Cut Taxes, Stop Wasteful Spending, and Unleash the American Dream.\u201d<\/p>\n Focus and forecasts<\/p>\n University of Scranton Political Science Professor Jean Harris, Ph.D., expects the 8th District race to be expensive, not unlike Bresnahan\u2019s matchup with Cartwright two years ago. It\u2019s also likely to capture a lot of attention both in and outside of the state, which could drive an influx of cash to both campaigns in the run-up to November, she said.<\/p>\n \u201cI think that there\u2019s a lot of issues of deep concern to people in the state that the national government is engaged in, and having a run for governor here too between Shapiro and (state Treasurer Stacy) Garrity, that\u2019s going to bring in more attention as well,\u201d Harris said, noting Shapiro\u2019s place in the national spotlight. \u201cI think there\u2019s a lot of attention that will be brought to the state, which means money is going to be coming in and going out.\u201d<\/p>\n She also expects both candidates to receive considerable financial support from outside the district and state as Republicans work to hold and Democrats strive to recapture majority control of the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n As of late last week, the election analysis and forecasting service Sabato\u2019s Crystal Ball<\/a>, a project of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, rated the 8th District seat as leaning Republican.<\/p>\n![\"Scranton](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/STT-L-COUNCIL-0106-04.jpg\")
Scranton Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti speaks during her inaugaration ceremony on the steps of City Hall in Scranton Monday, January 5, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG \/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)<\/p>\n