JENKINS TWP. — Thursday night’s debate hosted by WVIA between U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan Jr. and Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti gave voters a chance to watch and hear the candidates’ positions on key issues in the race.
When the show was over, voters may have been able to gather enough information to make an informed decision — or not.
Bresnahan, R-Dallas Township, and Cognetti, D-Scranton, both sent the 55 minutes preaching why they are the right person to represent Northeastern Pennsylvania.
And, both offered a few one-liners that brought a bit of levity to what is one of the most-watched congressional races in the country.
Bresnahan and Cognetti went back and forth on several key issues — the economy and affordability, the war in Iran, the stock trading controversy, the funding of police, gun rights, the war between Russia and Ukraine, Medicaid, Social Security, securing the borders, data centers, presidential pardons, voter ID, health care, education, the national debt and more.
All are important issues and need to be addressed in any political campaign. What voters need to do is take all the information and decide which candidate best represents how they feel and which one supports the best plan to move the country forward.
Voters also need to decide which candidate they want representing them in the 120th Congress.
When voters go to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 3, all 435 seats in the House of Representatives will be up for grabs, and so will 35 in the Senate. Republicans currently hold the majority in both houses, and Democrats are campaigning to return the balance of power in Washington.
That’s why Thursday night’s debate was critical for the candidates — an opportunity for them to not only present their cases, but also to look good and sound good to viewers and voters searching to make the right decision.
Depending on what poll you see, the race has been rated pretty even. But as many wise political observers have stated in all election cycles, the only poll that counts is the one taken on Election Day.
During the debate, Bresnahan defended his record and said he has always voted for his constituency in NEPA.
Cognetti countered that claim by noting that her opponent has voted to cut Medicare, approve tax breaks for the richest of the rich and has also voted six times to fund the war in Iran and also supported tariffs and invited data centers to the region.
Bresnahan said the war in Iran must come to an end, qualifying that by stating a country that states “Death to America” should never have a nuclear weapon. He called Russian President Vladimir Putin a bad person, and Bresnahan said he supports Ukraine, suggesting a diplomatic resolution to the years-long conflict. Bresnahan also said communities should have the loudest voice in whether data centers should be built in their town, and he insisted he never gave his financial advisers any direction on stock trading.
Cognetti spent time touting her record in Scranton and comparing that experience to what she will do in Washington, D.C., if elected. She spoke about weeding out corruption, bringing the city out of a financially distressed state, and she defended her administrations work on fighting crime and supporting the police. She also voiced support of Ukraine, discussed her experiences at local data center meetings, and continually tied the war in Iran to the issue of affordability in America.
The one-hour debate had a lot to digest. For the most part, the candidates were respectful of each other and refrained from out-and-out attacks.
They also emphatically agreed on one issue: campaign advertising.
Cognetti called for the use of “dark money” to end. She said a trillionaire like Elon Musk should not be allowed to pour millions of dollars into campaigns to try to influence race outcomes.
Bresnahan agreed, saying he is tired of all the political ads and the constant flow of mailers found in mailboxes every day.
Cognetti and Bresnahan agreed that Election Day will also mark the end of all of those ads and mailers.
About the debate
• Participants: Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan Jr. and Democratic challenger Paige Cognetti, mayor of Scranton.
• Location: WVIA Public Media Studios in Pittston, before a live studio audience.
• Moderator and panel: Veteran broadcaster Tracey Matisak moderated the debate, joined by a panel of journalists including Borys Krawczeniuk (WVIA News), Michael P. Buffer (The Citizens’ Voice), and Francine Schertzer (PCN).
• Context: This marked the only scheduled face-to-face debate between the candidates ahead of the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.
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Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.