Northeast Pennsylvania will undoubtedly be closely watched in the 2020 election and we have the first finance report filed from their Democratic congressman.

Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-Lackawanna) raised just under $280,000 from the beginning of 2019 to the end of March, while spending $55,000 during this time period.

Just over $90,000 of the funds raised in the 1st quarter of the year came from various fundraising committees, including a contribution from PAC to the Future, run by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

The Lackawanna County Democrat has just over $650,000 cash on hand entering the beginning of this month.

Cartwright won by close to 10 points in his previous bid over a self funding GOP businessman, John Chrin, who loaned his campaign over $1M during the 2018 campaign. Cartwright’s campaign raised $2.4M in the previous election cycle, with $1M of that coming from various joint fundraising committees.

After his successful 2018 run, Cartwright was selected as one of three House Democrats to serve as a co-chair on the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, which they deem the “messaging arm of the caucus.” He is the only co-chair of the three to represent a district that voted for Trump in 2016.

He is slightly behind his fundraising numbers from the 1st quarter after his 2016 win under the old Congressional boundaries. In April’s 2017 filing, Cartwright raised over $340,000 in the first quarter of the year, while holding over $850,000 cash on hand into the 2nd quarter.

Cartwright is one of three Democrats in the state that the NRCC is making efforts to flip in 2020, along with Reps. Conor Lamb (D-Allegheny) and Susan Wild (D-Lehigh).