Bresnahan: 'It's time to get to work'

Nov. 6—DALLAS TWP. — Fresh off his victory over U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright on Tuesday, Republican Rob Bresnahan on Wednesday said it's time to get to work.

Bresnahan, 34, of Dallas Township, defeated the six-term Democrat Cartwright to win a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

According to unofficial results, Bresnahan tallied 192,784 votes to 185,360 for Cartwright, 62, of Moosic.

"We will now build our team," Bresnahan said. "There will be no downtime. We intend to build incredible constituency service to do the best job we can for all the people we represent in the 8th District."

Bresnahan said he is eager to get to work for all the people in his new job.

"And I give my word that as their Congressman, there will be no R or D next to my name — only N-E-P-A," Bresnahan said. "We will bring back opportunities, stand up for our values, and fight for a brighter future for our communities."

Bresnahan said he has received several calls from GOP leadership, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, who came to the area twice to campaign for Bresnahan. The Republicans are likely to retain a majority in the House and are poised to take control of the Senate and the White House with President-elect Donald Trump.

When he was in this area for Bresnahan in May, Johnson took time for a telephone interview with the Times Leader. Johnson, 52, of Louisiana, said his visit to Dallas Township to campaign for Bresnahan was one of the most important stops he had made because the seat, held by Democratic Cartwright, was critical for the GOP to win.

"This race is important not just for the district but for the entire country.|Johnson said in May, adding that the 8th Congressional District was one of the top five races in the country.

"It really is a very important seat," Johnson said. "We are very intent on growing the House Republican majority. President Biden had advanced policies that have hurt hard-working American families — the wide open southern border, the high cost of, and rising crime rates. The White House is projecting weakness to the world stage."

Johnson said he was confident that voters in Pennsylvania would see the situation like voters were seeing it across the U.S. He said Cartwright has been a part of "the Progressive Caucus in the House which he said "is not reflective of the 8th District."

Johnson said the road to growing the House majority runs through Pennsylvania, and he was confident Bresnahan would win in November.

"Rob understands hard work and has dedicated his career to creating jobs in his community," Johnson said.

At that same event in May, Speaker Johnson also praised U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Dallas, who was reelected on Tuesday in the 9th Congressional District.

"Dan Meuser is a fantastic member of Congress," Johnson said. "He always makes smart decisions and he brings a lot of skill to the table. Everybody in Congress respects Dan's business acumen and I consider him one of my closest friends."

Speaker Johnson said in the travels on the campaign trail he saw a "real zeal for change" among the electorate in America.

"Voters are very bullish for this election cycle," Johnson said. "I am confident that Republicans can grow the majority in the House and win back the Senate and the White House."

Johnson, of Louisiana, was elected as the 56th Speaker of the House on Oct. 25, 2023, replacing Rep. Kevin McCarthy.

Cartwright concedes; congratulates Bresnahan

Bresnahan said Cartwright called him late Tuesday night.

"He congratulated me and he offered some advice," Bresnahan said. "I respect that, and I thanked him."

At a victory celebration Tuesday night, Bresnahan said he was "humbled and honored" by the trust the people of Northeast Pennsylvania have placed in him to serve as their voice in the House of Representatives.

"I sincerely thank Congressman Matt Cartwright for his many years of service," Bresnahan said. "While we may not always agree on how to best serve, I know he has always acted in what he believes is the best interest of Northeastern Pennsylvania."

In conceding the race to Bresnahan, Cartwright issued the following statement:

"I am so proud of the campaign that we ran and proud that we gave voice to the issues that matter most to Northeastern Pennsylvanians. In this close race, our volunteers and supporters gave their all to make their voices heard.

"I know this is not the result we hoped for, but it has been the honor of my life to represent our community in Congress. I am so proud of everything we've been able to deliver for northeastern Pennsylvania.

"Thank you for your support, and congratulations to Rob on his win. I wish him the best as he steers Northeastern Pennsylvania through the challenges ahead."

Cartwright has represented Pennsylvania's Eighth Congressional District since 2013. During his time in office, he said he introduced more bills with bipartisan support than any other House Democrat. As a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, he said he delivered substantial federal investment for northeastern Pennsylvania's law enforcement, economic development, and infrastructure.

Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter