Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti made it official on Tuesday – she is a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District seat held presently by U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan.

“Nobody works harder than the people of Northeastern Pennsylvania, and we are tired of corrupt politicians lying to us and leaving us behind,” said Cognetti in her campaign kickoff announcement. “When I first ran for Mayor, I ran as an Independent against a Democratic machine that wanted to keep using city government to benefit themselves. I took on the machine to clean up City Hall and we got to work, for the people, by cutting red tape, fixing our finances, attracting new businesses, putting more cops on the beat, building new parks, and making real reforms. Now I’m running for Congress to take on a corrupt Washington that has left our community behind while politicians get richer, our costs keep rising, and we get sold out.”

The 36th Mayor of the City of Scranton, Cognetti is a Pacific Northwest native who moved to NEPA more than a decade ago. A graduate of the University of Oregon with a MBA from the Harvard Business School, she was a senior advisor to the Under Secretary for International Affairs in the first Obama administration. Cognetti spent two years in the investment management division of Goldman Sachs and one year as a special assistant to Auditor General Eugene DePasquale.

A lifelong Democrat, Cognetti ran for Mayor in 2019 as an independent to capture the special election after Bill Courtright’s public corruption conviction, and she switched back to the Democratic party in earning a full term in 2021.

Cognetti comes out of the gate with endorsements from some well-known Pennsylvanians.

“As Scranton’s mayor, Paige Cognetti listens, cares, and fights for the issues that matter most — good-paying jobs and safer communities,” said Lt. Governor Austin Davis. “That’s the kind of leadership Pennsylvania families deserve, and I am proud to endorse her campaign for Congress.”

“Mayor Paige Cognetti knows how to topple a corrupt political machine,” said Congressman Chris Deluzio (D-17). “She’s done it in Scranton, where she’s streamlined government, and put hardworking people at the heart of it all. And when Paige sees corruption in Washington, she doesn’t just complain about it – she stands tall and fights back. Whether it’s politicians voting to make your life a ripoff or raking it in from corrupt stock trades, she’s ready to take ‘em on. I need Mayor Cognetti to join me down in Washington for this fight, and I’m proud to endorse her campaign for Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District.”

And she even drew well wishes from the man who previously held the seat before 2024.

“Mayor Paige Cognetti’s proven leadership in Scranton, commitment to transparency and innovative policies, make her the ideal candidate for Congress in Pennsylvania’s 8th District,” said former NEPA Congressman Matt Cartwright. “Her vision and tireless advocacy for working families promise real progress for our communities. I strongly support her candidacy for Congress, and I thank her for having the courage and tenacity to step up and do this.” 

“Congressman Rob Bresnahan lied when he promised he would ban congressional stock trading, and he lied when he said he would protect access to health care,” she said. “What’s even worse is that Bresnahan is profiting off our pain, playing the stock market while voting to screw us over in Washington. We won’t sit back as Bresnahan day trades away our future. So I’m running against the machine again to stand up for the people of Northeastern Pennsylvania and make Congress work as hard as they do.”

Bresnahan rode the coattails of President Donald Trump to victory last November, ousting longtime Rep. Matt Cartwright by 6,200 votes. The 35-year-old graduate of the University of Scranton has come under fire since he began his term for the numerous stock trades that he has made in his tenure, after campaigning to outlaw stock trading by members of Congress. Bresnahan has made more than 375 transactions over the last six months, totaling more than $5 million in volume, from his brokerage account.

“Paige Cognetti launching a vanity campaign for Congress while still running for a new term as Scranton Mayor tells you everything you need to know about her priorities,” said Rob for PA Spokesman Chris Pack. “Mayor Cognetti is a far-left extremist who has backed a radical agenda, from open borders and eliminating Medicaid to force everyone into government-run health care, to defunding the police, banning fracking, and even supporting taxpayer-funded sex change operations for illegal immigrants. We look forward to putting a spotlight on her extreme and dangerous positions, which are completely out of step with Northeastern Pennsylvania, where President Trump won by nearly 10 points.”

And in a race that will be closely watched not only by NEPA, but also the country, the National Republican Campaign Committee made its position known.

“By jumping into a congressional race before even wrapping up her re-election bid for mayor, Paige Cognetti is showing voters exactly where her true priorities lie,” said spokesperson Reilly Richardson in a statement. “From defunding police and banning fracking to government-run health care, open borders, and raising taxes, she won’t stand a chance against Rep. Rob Bresnahan, who continues to deliver results for Northeast Pennsylvania.”