Scranton Mayor Cognetti Launches Pennsylvania 8th District Congressional Bid

Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti has officially launched her campaign for Congress in Pennsylvania's 8th District, challenging first-term Republican Congressman Rob Bresnahan. Cognetti, who became the first woman elected mayor of Scranton running as an Independent outsider, criticizes Bresnahan for breaking promises, particularly regarding a pledge to ban congressional stock trading, noting he has made over 600 trades this year. She accuses him of profiting off constituents' hardships and pledges to fight corruption and stand up for hardworking people of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Cognetti's campaign has received endorsements from prominent Democrats including former U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright and Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis. Bresnahan's campaign responded by labeling Cognetti's congressional bid as a 'vanity campaign' and criticized her policy positions as extreme and out of step with the district. Despite also running for re-election as mayor, Cognetti stresses transparency and argues that voters want a leader willing to challenge entrenched political systems.