Pennsylvania 8th U.S. House District 2026
A sourced guide to the major-party nominees, ballot context and where official voting and results information will appear. This is not an endorsement or a forecast.
Our Final Call · Oct 29 projectionCognetti (D) by 3Read why →PA-08: the race, its history and the final week
Bresnahan unseated longtime Democratic representative Matt Cartwright in 2024. His 2026 opponent is Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti.
District electoral history
The 2024 margin was about 1.6 points. Reporting on the 2026 contest has covered congressional stock trading and Cognetti’s local executive record; allegations and responses should be attributed to named sources.
Earlier results may reflect different candidates and, across redistricting cycles, different geographic boundaries. The historical vote is not a prediction.
2026 major-party nominees
Paige Cognetti
Major-party nominee in this congressional district; consult the linked candidate records for a complete ballot and biography.
Rob Bresnahan Jr.
Major-party nominee in this congressional district; the complete ballot may also include third parties or write-ins.
Polling record: what is verifiable?
Look for candidate filings, additional independently sourced district polls and precinct reporting after polls close.
We have not reviewed enough comparable recent public district surveys to publish an original average. A missing value is preferable to a fabricated number.
For current candidate filings and published surveys, consult the race source. We will add actual toplines only when fieldwork dates, candidate matchup and source can be verified.
What to verify as voting approaches
- New district-level polls: sample, population, sponsor, and exact field dates.
- Official ballot and polling-place rules from the state or local election authority.
- Candidate disclosures and campaign claims against source documents.
- Election-night county returns and outstanding ballots; do not confuse a media call with certification.
Source notebook
2026 race information and historical election records · Review date October 26, 2026.
Corrections: corrections@electiontracker.live.
Race background
Incumbent Rob Bresnahan Jr. faces Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti. This northeastern Pennsylvania congressional district is one of the districts included in national battleground coverage.
What to watch on November 3
Watch official county election returns in northeastern Pennsylvania as they are reported. Any race call must be attributed to a named decision desk, not inferred from ElectionTracker’s own estimates.
Reading a race call: Preliminary totals are unofficial. Media projections must name the projecting outlet; certification comes from authorized election officials.
Sources and election resources
Nominee and contextual information checked October 26, 2026. Follow these primary and independent resources to confirm changes after this review date.
Related coverage
ElectionTracker analysis of this race (check the article date) · Election-week update log · Official voting tools.
Any ballot or nomination change after October 26 should be checked against the state election authority before being reflected on this page.