Rep. Matt Cartwright outraises GOP challenger Rob Bresnahan by $1 million in Q3
U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright D-8th District (U.S. House photo)
U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-8th District) outraised Republican challenger Rob Bresnahan by $1 million over the last three months in what has become the most expensive congressional race in Pennsylvania this cycle.
Cartwright's campaign raised $2.16 million from the beginning of July to the end of September, while Bresnahan raised $1.16 million during the same time period.
Cartwright's Q3 haul didn't lead the state's congressional delegation , but no candidate running for the U.S. House in Pennsylvania has raised more than him during this campaign cycle. The Lackawanna County Democrat's campaign has raised $7.83 million in the election cycle-to-date.
Bresnahan's campaign has raised $3.73 million, which includes $1.2 million total in loans he's given to his campaign. He's raised more than any other Republican challenger in Pennsylvania this cycle.
Entering October, Cartwright and Bresnahan's campaigns have raised a combined total of $11.55 million, which is more than any other congressional race in the Keystone State this cycle. The next closest is the combined $9.44 million raised in the race for Pennsylvania's 1st Congressional District between U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-1st District) and Democratic challenger Ashley Ehasz.
Over the last three months, Cartwright also significantly outspent Bresnahan, $4.79 million to Bresnahan's $1.16 million, campaign finance records show.
In addition to Cartwright and Bresnahan raising the most money, they've also combined to spend more than any other congressional race in the state. At the end of the third quarter, Cartwright and Bresnahan's campaigns had spent a total of $9.79 million. The next closest is the race for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District between U.S. Rep. Susan Wild and GOP state Rep. Ryan Mackenzie's combined total of $7.87 million.
According to , the race for the 8th Congressional District has included the most total ad spending, which includes outside political action committees, than any other U.S. House race in the nation.
Cartwright holds a sizable cash on cash on hand advantage over Bresnahan, and has more than he's had over Republican challengers in previous election cycles. Cartwright entered October with $1.91 million cash on hand, while Bresnahan's campaign had just under $465,000.
At this point in the 2022 cycle, Cartwright's campaign had $1.26 million on hand, while Republican Jim Bognet had just over $690,000 . In Oct. 2022, Cartwright's campaign had $1.23 million on handBognet's campaign had slightly more than $425,000
Cartwright, who was first elected to Congress in 2012, won both his races by roughly 3.5 points.
The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) has placed Cartwright on its . He's been on the same list the past few election cycles.
Cartwright is the lone Democrat serving in the state's congressional delegation that represents a district that former President Donald Trump won in 2016 and 2020. The 8th Congressional District includes the city of Scranton, which is the childhood home of President Joe Biden
Vice President Kamala Harris , the Democratic Party's candidate for president, and , the GOP's nominee for president, both campaigned in Northeast Pennsylvania after Labor Day.
A trio of national ratings outlets indicate it should be a close race between Cartwright and Bresnahan. The Cook Political ReportLarry Sabato's Crystal Ball , rate the race for the 8th Congressional District as a "toss-up," while Inside Elections describes the race as "tilt Democratic."
