Comparing records in 8th District race<\/p>\n
Editor: As midterm elections loom ever closer, I would like to ask voters in Pennsylvania\u2019s 8th district to set feelings aside and to examine and compare the records of both candidates.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s start with the incumbent Rob Bresnahan. \u00a0Bresnahan has no record of public service prior to 2024. \u00a0He ran in part on a platform of banning congressional stock trading, yet went on to become one of the most prolific stock traders of his congressional class within the first two years of his freshman term in Congress, making trades worth approximately $8 million. \u00a0In a tele-townhall, he told constituents \u201ctrades are executed on my behalf. \u00a0I have no dialogues with my financial advisers.\u201d \u00a0But on a radio interview in April 2025, he admitted that he does in fact discuss upcoming stock positions with his financial advisers.<\/p>\n
In the same tele-townhall, Bresnahan promised constituents he wouldn\u2019t vote to pass legislation that would cut funding to Medicaid, but when the time came, he voted to pass the Big Beautiful Bill, slashing Medicaid funding projected to impact at least 310,000 Pennsylvanians. \u00a0As if that wasn\u2019t bad enough, Bresnahan also sold stock in Medicaid provider businesses just prior to voting to cut funding for the program.<\/p>\n
Now let\u2019s look at Paige Cognetti\u2019s record of public service as mayor of Scranton. In January 2022, Scranton\u2019s credit rating was boosted to an investment-grade BBB+ rating, ending a 30 year period of financial distress in the city and enabling the city\u2019s bonds to be refinanced, saving Scranton taxpayers $2.2 million. Since then, Scranton hasn\u2019t needed to borrow money to fund day-to-day operations due to maintaining balanced budgets and cash surpluses. She added five new officers to the Scranton Police Department, and invested $5 million into recruitment, training and technology, resulting in 4.1% reduction in serious crime.<\/p>\n
Jesse Bender, Freeland<\/p>\n
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