Incumbent Matt Cartwright (D) and Rob Bresnahan Jr. (R) are running in the general election for Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District on November 5, 2024. Neither candidate faced a primary challenger.
Cartwright was first elected to the U.S. House in 2012, defeating incumbent Tim Holden in the Democratic primary. In 2020 and 2022, Cartwright defeated Jim Bognet (R)—winning 51.8%-48.2% and 51.2%-48.8%, respectively.
WVIA’s Borys Krawczeniuk said, “The 8th Congressional District race is expected to be one of the most expensive and hotly contested in the country.” The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter, Decision Desk HQ and The Hill, and Larry J. Sabato’s Crystal Ball rated the race a Toss-up. Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales rated the race Tilt Democratic. Donald Trump (R) won the district in 2016 and 2020.
PoliticsPA called Cartwright the state’s most vulnerable congressional incumbent in 2024. PolitiFact’s Louis Jacobson wrote, “Republicans and Democrats agree that [Bresnahan] is a strong recruit and, as a political newcomer, doesn’t have a voting record that can be mined by the Cartwright campaign.”
Based on reports filed with the Federal Election Commission in the second quarter of 2024, Cartwright had raised $5.7 million and spent $1.2 million, and Bresnahan had raised $2.6 million and spent $1.3 million. To review all the campaign finance figures in full detail, click here. Previous Cartwright-challenger Jim Bognet raised $3.0 million over the entire 2022 election cycle.
Cartwright earned a bachelor’s degree from Hamilton College and a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He worked as an attorney before entering politics.
Bresnahan earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Scranton. He joined his grandfather’s electrical contracting company as chief financial officer, then became chief executive officer after graduation.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R), House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R), and Rep. Burgess Owens (R) each visited Pennsylvania to campaign for Bresnahan. Cartwright said, “Mike Johnson wants to cut Medicare and Social Security by $3 trillion,” adding, “He wants to raise the retirement age again. My opponent is thrilled to have him here and that tells you a lot.” Bresnahan wrote in Broad + Liberty, “Unfortunately, the issue of cutting these benefits has become a political football brought up every election cycle… I want my position to be clear. I am committed to strengthening and protecting Social Security and Medicare into the future, but cutting benefits or raising the retirement age is a non-starter with me.”
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) is supporting the Cartwright campaign through their Frontline program for vulnerable incumbents. To read more about the DCCC’s Frontline program, click here.
Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District is one of 37 congressional districts with a Democratic incumbent or an open seat that the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) is targeting in 2024. To read about NRCC targeting initiatives, click here. For a complete list of NRCC targeted districts, click here.