Democrat Paige Cognetti defeats Bresnahan, flipping key House seat

Democrat Paige Cognetti is projected to defeat first-term incumbent Rep. Rob Bresnahan (R) in Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District, according to Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ).

Cognetti, the mayor of Scranton, clinched the district running on an anti-corruption message, marking a key pickup for Democrats — who need to flip three GOP-held seats to win control of the House.

With 30 percent of the ballots counted around 9:10 p.m. EST, Cognetti had secured 70 percent of the vote, DDHQ reported .

Democrats hammered Bresnahan over stock trades he’s made since taking office, although his office says an outside financial institution managed his investments.

Republicans flipped the district in 2024, as Bresnahan knocked off longtime Democratic Rep. Matt Cartwright.

Cook Political Report rated the district a tossup after initially saying it leaned Republican.

It was one of the most competitive this cycle and attracted some of the highest amounts of outside spending, as both parties poured cash into the race.