Democrat Paige Cognetti, the mayor of Scranton, is projected to defeat freshman Republican Rep. Rob Bresnahan in Pennsylvania's 8th Congressional District, according to Decision Desk HQ. The call gives Democrats a crucial pickup in their bid to reclaim the House majority.
With roughly 30 percent of the vote counted by 9:10 p.m. EST, Cognetti held a commanding 70 percent share, DDHQ reported. The district, which sprawls across northeastern Pennsylvania, was rated a tossup by the Cook Political Report after an earlier lean-Republican assessment.
Cognetti ran a sharp anti-corruption campaign, repeatedly hammering Bresnahan over stock trades made since he took office. Bresnahan's office has said an outside financial firm managed his investments, but the issue resonated with voters in a region where economic anxiety and distrust of Washington run deep.
The race attracted some of the heaviest outside spending of the 2026 cycle, with both national parties pouring millions into advertising and field operations. It was one of the most competitive House contests in the country, and its outcome could help determine which party controls the chamber.
Bresnahan had flipped the seat in 2024, defeating longtime Democratic Rep. Matt Cartwright. That victory was part of a broader Republican wave in the state, but this year's political environment proved far more difficult for the GOP.
Cognetti's win is part of a larger Democratic surge that has already seen the party capture the Georgia governor's mansion and flip Kentucky's 6th District. With Democrats needing to net three seats to take the House, each pickup moves them closer to that goal.
The party's momentum has been building all night, with Shaheen holding New Hampshire's 1st District and Dandiya flipping Florida's 22nd. If Democrats can sustain this pace, they could end the night with a narrow but workable majority.
Cognetti, who took office as Scranton's mayor in 2020, becomes the first Democrat to represent the district since Cartwright's defeat. Her victory speech, delivered to a crowd of supporters in Scranton, emphasized accountability and local priorities.
"This is a win for working families in northeastern Pennsylvania," Cognetti said. "They sent a message that they want leaders who put the district first, not their own portfolio."
The race's outcome also underscores the political volatility of the region, which has swung between parties in recent cycles. Bresnahan's loss is a setback for Republicans, who had hoped to defend the seat as part of their national strategy to hold the House.
With control of Congress still hanging in the balance, Cognetti's victory could prove pivotal. Democrats are now within striking distance of the three-seat threshold they need, and the night's remaining races will determine just how close they come.
